


A home at the end of the World

by RedCatRen



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ahch-To, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Force Bond (Star Wars), Forgiveness, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Gray Jedi Rey, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Inappropriate Use of the Force, Love Confessions, Masturbation, Mentioned Luke Skywalker, Mild Smut, Millennium Falcon - Freeform, POV Rey (Star Wars), Past Abuse, Planet Naboo (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Redeemed Ben Solo, Redemption, Rey Needs A Hug, Romance, Soft Ben Solo, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2019-08-09 01:57:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 54,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16440848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedCatRen/pseuds/RedCatRen
Summary: It's been 3 years since the battle of Crait and a year since Rey disappeared without a trace into the far reaches of the galaxy. Their bond is dead and Kylo has resigned himself to a life of misery alone in a regime he no longer believes in.A new beginning echoes for them as Rey reveals her location on Ahch-To, certain Kylo will be quick to follow ,drawn to her like a moth to a flame.Excerpt:"Were you not afraid I would turn up here with the entirety of the First Order, intent on killing you and blowing this damned rock into nothing?” Kylo answered sardonically.“Maybe” she smirked back “but I had to take the chance that you wouldn’t.”“Why?” he asked, leaning forward again. His eyes were gentle and warm in firelight, just as she had hoped they would be. It reminded her once more of the look he had given her in a similar situation so long ago. The moment she had known they were one and the same at the very base of their soul.Leaning in towards him, her face open and honest as she smiled at him sadly. Kylo’s lips twitched again at her proximity as if they were struggling not to react.“Because, in the end. You are all I have left.”-Mature content rating in later chapters





	1. Day 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a shortish 5 maybe 6 part fic I've been thinking of writing for a while. Semi slow burn for what it is and ratings may change.  
> Mature content will start to come half way through.
> 
> Let me know if you like it. Kudos and comments are always welcome!
> 
> Pretty much a 'what if they run away to Ahch-To' scenario. Total angst and fluff!
> 
> My other fic Fields of Gold will hopefully restart again soon.

It was three years to the day since the battle of Crait when Rey finally stopped running from Kylo.

Much had happened in the time since they had last met that could never be reversed. Alliances had been forged and lost, battles had been fought and won and yet, the balance of the war could never be tipped one side or the other. The First Order and what remained of Leia’s resistance rose and fell in opposition like waves upon the shore, stuck in an endless cycle of death and destruction that brought them no victory.

Rey had shut herself off from him not long after the emergency evacuation on Crait, their bond practically dead despite his multiple attempts to reach her. Eventually Kylo Ren stopped trying, his heart too broken and fragile to take the rejection anymore. He would not beg the attentions of one so willing to leave him. The Force in its infinite wisdom granted him this one mercy and the scavenger and he remained untethered from that moment forward.

He never saw her face again, that beautiful, delicate thing ,and sought her company only in dreams.

At times when battles raged on planets far below him, he had felt her luminous presence, her pain at fallen friends and comrades rolling across the cosmos and into his heart. At first, he had taken sick glee in the anguish she experienced. Seeing it as a just revenge for turning him down. Rebuffing his sincere offer of a better life so callously. But soon, her pain was never something he welcomed. Her loneliness was not something he celebrated. Because he recognized it in himself too.

It was through these glimpses of her pain he learned of his own mother’s death, Rey’s once vibrant yellow light in the force the deepest shade of blue as she grieved. The sense of loss unbearable as the Resistance jumped to hyper speed with Leia’s body in tow. That was the day Kylo Ren had hated most. And it was after that, this irreconcilable mistake, this act he could never take back, he lost any drive to continue this war. 

But alas, General Hux pressed on with no encouragement and he, the Supreme Leader, watched on passively as they ground the galaxy into dust. Eventually Poe Dameron, in a sacrificial blaze of glory, destroyed Hux’s ship alongside the sanctimonious General and for the briefest moment, Kylo Ren thought it was finally over. But alas there remained many eager disciples ready to take up the Hux’s mantle and so the cycle continued. Pushing on and forward in the Supreme Leaders name.

As time went on, Kylo became a recluse, nothing more but a figurehead to a fanatical regime. Content to live out the remainder of his miserable existence alone in the comfort of his dark chambers, locked away from the Galaxy. Nothing but his dreams of her to keep him company.

All sightings of Rey of Jakku stopped about 1 year after Leia had died. It was after the loss Dameron and the subsequent death of FN-2187, the once fervent Jedi knight became eternally absent from the Resistance’s arsenal of fighters. Kylo had sent scouts to scour the galaxy for any trace of her, but nothing could be gleaned from anyone beyond the drunken stories of broken rebels and bitter enemies. She had come from nothing and now, had disappeared into nothing, like stardust in the wind.

Kylo hoped, wherever she was, she had found peace. A life she deserved.

It was one night, 3 years after the battle of Crait, Kylo Ren finally got his answer. 

He had dreamed of her again. Her presence causing such a sudden rush of light to hit him, as if a door had finally opened in cosmos he never knew existed that he was blindsided by the revelation. Her hazel eyes burning through the early dawn on a misty, green but barren planet, fixing him a stare like none he had experienced before. It was as though this sleep induced spectre was real, that she was really there in front of him. No work of his subconscious but instead, there, real and making an active attempt to reach out and speak to him. A resounding rush of peace and contentment surrounded him as she approached, her stare not wavering one bit under the hood of her dark brown robes. Taking his hand in hers she pulled him towards the dark grey stone huts behind him, not uttering a word in the process. He followed, unable to do anything but comply, the warmth of her hand sending shivers down his spine. Again he questioned his own mind to determine whether Rey was communicating after all this time or his desperate heart had blinded him to reality. For that moment, he found he did not care.

Rey stopped suddenly at one of the huts, raising one of her hands to the shoddy metal door, a door no doubt salvaged from an old x-wing plane wing. Her finger brushed against the grimy dust upon it for a moment, to reveal a pattern of numbers. 

202.5, -233, 119.6

Looking back at Kylo expectantly, a ghost of smile flashed on Rey’s face, mocking him. He looked back at her with mild confusion, watching as she raised her hand again to point at the random pattern of numbers.

202.5, -233, 119.6

His eyes narrowed as he tried to understand as she stepped back from him, severing the connection of their hands in the process. Rey’s features darkened as a storm began to break above them, freezing rain falling from the clouds above to soak them in seconds. Kylo shivered as the rain made his thin bed clothes cling to his pale skin, his eyes drawn skyward by a sudden flash of lightening. When he looked back to Rey, she was gone. Alone once more.

Conscious he was starting to freeze his ass off, Kylo pushed the metal door of the hut open and stepped inside the small, dark shelter. Inside a small fire illuminated the dull grey walls of the hut, cast long shadows as the light flickered against the stone. His breath caught in this throat as the words ‘Come find me. Let’s finish this’ lay etched across the stone in the firelight. The numbers....

…..202.5, -233, 119.6

Coordinates. She had given him coordinates.

As soon as Kylo Ren had awoken he had cross checked the coordinates with every know planet in the First Order’s and Empires records and returned nothing but useless data. The place she resided was on the very edge of existence and remained beautifully undiscovered. A jolt of hope had entered his heart as he saw this.  If he slipped away now to find her, the First Order would never be able to follow him if he did everything correctly. 

For the first time in his life, he could be truly free.

Pouring over navigational charts, a thought had struck him in the midst of his preparations, a niggling feeling of déjà vu he could not shake. When he looked at the holographic star map, he had plotted using the numbers she had given him, something seemed familiar about their location in the depths of space. It wasn’t until he had overlaid the incomplete map to Skywalker’s hiding place on a whim, he saw the connection, so obvious it pained him he hadn’t seen it before. Its location and Rey’s one and the same. He had been right in his assertions, Rey had left to sought peace like his uncle before her.

But why had she opened herself up to him after all this time, why invite him into her sanctuary when she had left the war behind so many moon cycles before?

She wanted to end this, those were the words she had used. Did that mean she intended for them to go up against each other one last time, to end this battle of light and dark with honour? To balance the tide in the most ancient of Jedi sites. 

Even if it meant his death, he took her invitation willingly. The consequences be damned. Kylo knew he would never be able to truly hurt her, but maybe, they would both find peace in this resolution. This end of everything. He was so tired of fighting.

Wiping everything he could, including much of BB-9's memory, he slipped away late one night less than one week after Rey’s visit to him. Loading his TIE Silencer with only the essentials for the trip, he disabled the tracking system and roared away into the dark, jumping to hyperspace before the admiralty could stop him. The deep rooted coil of pain and anger that lived in him as long as he could remember, unfurled in his chest and relaxed into a gentle sway as he drew closer to Ahch- To towards Rey’s presence again. He did not fear death anymore, but welcomed it like an old friend.

The approach to the island strewn planet was solemn as Kylo surveyed the small specks of rocky green far below. The numerous archipelagos like distant stars in an inky sky, each ridge and flash of verdant green almost identical to the other.  It was not until the telltale outline of the Falcon drew him to a peaked, craggy mass of granite that he knew he was in the right place. Rey's signature in the Force thrummed from its surface, finding its way gently into his chest and soothing him like a warm balm upon his fractured soul. He had found her.   


Kylo circled back around the island to find the best approach, the rugged terrain almost inhospitable to any flight craft. Spotting a suitable plateau he took the Silencer downward. His descent made difficult by the driving rain and howling wind that battered the sides of his Silencer. Rocking him back and forth as he tried to land his small ship on the only flat area of rock in the whole island. The Falcon mocking him every step as he struggled to steady the landing gear into place, its old, scarred body unperturbed by the weather. Glowering at it, he swore he would blow that piece of junk into smithereens if he could. The old freighter’s very existence was a source of aggravation as his fingers twitched over the trigger of his fighter's considerable arsenal. He could only just refrain from firing and blasting out of existence.

Then again, he thought such displays of recklessness would not sit right with his new host! The Falcon would survive at least today to fight another day.

 

Finally finding firm ground, Kylo breathed a sigh of relief as he switch off the ships systems, leaning back into the firm head rest in tiredness, the wind howling in his ears. The journey had been long.   


Kylo snapped to attention all at once as he sensed her close, much closer than he anticipated. Looking out the rain strewn cockpit, he saw her standing between Falcon and the Silencer in that same dark brown Jedi robe that had haunted his dream. Waiting for him.   


Kylo gulped in sudden nervousness, his Adams apple leaping in his throat in response to her sudden appearance. He had come here ready to die, to throw himself at her feet in the hopes of mercy, but now? Now he was afraid. Terrified to face her.   


Breathing deeply, he steadied his nerves and tried to shield his terror from Rey as he exited the TIE fighter. Fingers ghosting over the cold shell of his dormant lightsaber, he stepped down onto the slippery shale of Ahch-To's surface.

Rey remained completely still as she watched him move closer, his black cowl darkened further by the driving rain. His hair was quickly plastered to the pale angles of his face, waves pressed down onto his smooth forehead in inky black tendrils.

He looked slimmer since the last time she had seen him, his skin even more ghostly and ashen, but his eyes, his eyes still retained that haunted warmth that had drawn her in those many years before. They looked at her once again with such tender yearning it was all it took for her not to run and embrace him. The years had not yet stripped him of that small display of light.   


Kylos heart was hitting hyper speed in his chest as he looked upon her once again, that old flame of attraction and admiration stirring in his breast. She was even more lovely than he remembered. Her large hazel eyes almost mossy in the stormy gloom. Her face was guarded, but upon her lips lay the small signs of a soft smile.

Despite his comfort in seeing her, he couldn't help but notice her hand twitch below her robe, the hand no doubt resting just above her weapon. His heart sank once more, she had called him for one reason and one reason only. But he was tired of this war, tired of the his anger. She had said it herself, it was time to end things. And he would go willingly.   


Rey stiffened as she watched him reaching down to grasp his saber, her own hand rushing to retrieve her own. Instincts kicking in as she crouched to counter his inevitable attack. But her initial fear was quickly taken over by confusion as Kylo turn the bladed end away from her. The weapon remaining unignited. Falling instead onto his knees, head bowed and sabre outstretched, Kylo surrendered to the noble death he hoped she would give him. The rain continued to pound his head and shoulders as he awaited her strike, the final blow that never came.

"What are doing!?" Rey spluttered in disbelief, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

"I'm surrendering" Kylo said quietly, his head remaining bowed.

"You were right, it's time to end this.....Kill me, I cannot fight you anymore" he added bleakly.

"Are you insane?" Rey exclaimed "is that what you think I meant? That I called you here to die?" 

Stepping forward, she gently pushed his raised hand down until it hung at his side.

Kylos eyes widened as his head whipped up to meet her amused smirk.

"It's not?" He said sheepishly.

"No, so get up you dunderheaded nerfherder. We'll catch our death in this rain."

Kylo blinked rapidly in confusion, his mouth agape. The warmth he found in her eyes confounded him further as she tried in vain to hide her smirk at his bewilderment.

"Ben..." she said again more firmly, his heart leaping in his chest at the utterance of his birth name. 

"Get up."

Exhaling loudly, he nodded, his eyes glazed as he pushed himself to his feet. Pushing the wet mass of his hair away from his face, the persistent rain made him shiver now in earnest. His thoughts racing at this unexpected turn of events. 

Something flashed in Reys eyes he couldn't quite read as he suddenly stepped closer to her, his sabre outstretched once more. Her chest rising and falling almost imperceptibly like she was suppressing a gasp or shiver.

"Take it, at least disarm me." he murmured softly, looking down at her shamefully. His chocolate brown eyes fixed on hers with an unexpected intensity.

"Take it.... please"

Nudging it into Rey's palm, he implored her once again as he stepped even closer. Now a mere foot span distance from her. She could feel his hot, laboured breaths hit her face as he tried in earnest to control the twisting emotions at seeing her again. Rey shivered again, not expecting to react like this despite all her preparations and plans.

Licking her lips in sudden nervousness, Rey nodded. Her small fingers closing over the cold metal he had pressed into her hand. Pulling gently as the sabre slipped out of Kylos grasp. Kylo exhaled again, a keen sense of relief in his face as he was divested of his weapon. There would be no final battle today.

Turning on her heel without another word Rey led him away from the Falcon and towards the steep stone steps to the settlement he had seen from above. Kylo followed her silently, too lost in his thoughts to process anything beyond putting one foot in front of the other as he trailed closely behind Rey. The ascent slow and treacherous in the rain, the howling wind disrupting any chance of conversation even if they had been so inclined to speak.

 

Soon the same huts he had seen in his dream came into view, the dark stone wiped clean by the unrelenting weather. A warm glow of firelight lit one from the inside, the orange flame welcoming after the freezing rain he had endured until now. Rey entered it without looking back whilst Kylo paused by the door, running his fingers over the grooves carved in the once unyielding metal. Instead of the numbers Rey had shown him, he saw instead the inscription:

_Here lived the once great Luke Skywalker,_

_Failed uncle, disgraced brother and last Jedi_ _._

Kylo ran his fingers over the worn letters once more and found to his surprise, no anger at the epithet. None of it really mattered anymore.

“He was always one for the melodramatics wasn’t he” Rey said softly as she watched Kylo in the doorway, her sodden robe removed and resting by the fire to dry. Her once ever-present sand coloured attired had been replaced by dark green tunic and charcoal grey trousers he noted as she stood warming herself by the fire. The desert it seemed was a long-forgotten memory.

Kylo’s mouth quirked for a moment at her comment, the brief shape of a smile on his lips before sliding back downward into a frown.

“Ever the martyr” Kylo mumbled glumly as he bent to enter the small hut, removing his dripping cowl as he approached Rey. He laid it out the dry as she had done, not daring to raise his eyes further than the flames as he rose again. He could sense the nervousness rolling over her now they were stood in her quarters, a clear uncertainty in what to do now he had arrived. It was all the more obvious as time stretched on, a large part of her had thought he would never actually answer her call.

 She still stood at the other side of the fire watching him, her pulse quickening as the awkward silence stretched on. Totally at a loss as to how to react to him. Panic starting to set in.

“I have fish” she said suddenly, her voice high and tight and her cheeks pinking when his confused dark eyes met hers. 

“Fish?” Kylo repeated with slight amusement, watching her squirm in her own embarrassment.

“You know, in case you’re hungry after the journey” she trailed off, avoiding his gaze now his mouth had twisted in a smirk. He was mocking her attempt at hospitality.

“Forget it...” she sighed, turning instead to place Kylo’s sabre and her own on a small stone shelf at the back of the hut, her measly possessions stacked neatly against the wall. Her shoulders hunched in discomfort at her own lack of composure.  It should not have been this difficult to act even remotely normal in his presence, yet she remained flustered. Kylo’s smirk softened as he saw he had upset her.

“I am, I am hungry. Fish would be wonderful. Thank you for the offer” he said gently after a breath, Rey’s shoulders relaxing as she faced him again. Smiling softly, she nodded and reaching into the shelves once more she retrieved a tightly bound package. Unwrapping it, inside there lay several golden fillets of cooked fish, the salty aroma making Kylo’s mouth water.

“Take as much as you want, I am due to catch more tomorrow” Rey said simply, stretching out the oily paper package to him. Taking it from her with nod, her fingers brushing his still gloved hands, he watched her return to her side of the fire and sit on the small wooden crate that served as her stool.

Looking around the dark hut he tried to find something similar to rest upon, standing in the middle of the hut with growing unease. Now her unreadable gaze was making him flustered.

“Here” Rey said with amusement, watching him struggle “Let me help”

Gesturing with her fingers a small wooden crate was pulled out of the darkness with the Force. Scrapping the dirt as it stopped at his feet.

“Sit Ben” she said warmly.

“Thank you” he replied with mild embarrassment, carefully resting his considerable weight on the crate.

Staring at her over the flames, he was once again called back to another time not so very long ago. His fingers twitched at the muscle memory, skin tingling at the memory of her skin on his. Rey cocked her head to the side, her brow furrowing as she caught glimpses of his thoughts. Trying to focus in on what small fragments she could.

Shaking himself free of the memory and clouding his mind, Kylo began to eat, his focus purposefully set on the tasty morsels of fish and not on Rey’s curious gaze. It was not long until he had finished the entire package.

“I’m sorry” he said sheepishly, suddenly realizing what he had done “I didn’t mean to eat it all”

“It’s okay, you are my guest” she replied genially. Kylo tried not to wince at her words, the accidental repetition of his own words the first time they had met. Rey’s face once again pinked as she saw Kylo stiffen, it was becoming all the more difficult to ignore the obvious origins and nature of their relationship to one another. Silence descended once more as they both stared fixedly at the dancing flames of the fire.

Eventually Kylo’s impatience and curiosity got the best of him.

“Why did you call me here Rey? Why after all this time did you let me find you?” he said in a low voice, his tone almost bitter. Rey paused before answering, her eyes downcast and expression dour.

“I wanted to put an end to this war” she said softly.

“But you never intended to kill me” Kylo countered.

“No” she replied solemnly “I would never do that.”

“Even after everything I have done” Kylo said forlornly, leaning forward, his eyes dark and sorrowful.

“Yes Ben, even after everything you have done and I have done” she replied fiercely, her eyes boring into his without mercy.

“But we are enemies Rey, we always have been” Kylo sighed, leaning back again, unable to maintain the intensity of her gaze.

“No, we were a simply pawns in someone else’s war.” she mumbled bleakly “It just took me a long time to see that.”

Kylo’s eyes widened at this, but he did not contradict her statement, because in a way, she was right.

“Eventually the line dividing the First Order and the Resistance without Leia and Poe in it didn't exist. It had become negligible. I got tired of fighting for something I didn’t believe in” Rey continued tiredly “I thought maybe you had too”.

Kylo chewed his lip as he brooded over her words, turning them over in his mind.

“Were you not afraid I would turn up here with the entirety of the First Order, intent on killing you and blowing this damned rock into nothing?” he answered sardonically.

“Maybe” she smirked back “but I had to take the chance that you wouldn’t.”

“Why?” he asked, leaning forward again. His eyes were gentle and warm in firelight, just as she had hoped they would be. It reminded her once more of the look he had given her in a similar situation so long ago. The moment she had known they were one and the same at the very base of their soul.

Leaning in towards him, her face open and honest as she smiled at him sadly. Kylo’s lips twitched again at her proximity as if they were struggling not to react.

“Because, in the end. You are all I have left.”

Kylo exhaled loudly, releasing a knot in his chest he didn’t even realize he had been holding

“Why did you come Ben?” she said quietly, reaching out to run her fingers over his covered knuckles.

“You are all I have left too” he said sadly, turning his hand to catch her fingers in his, curling them in together towards his palm.

“What do we do now?” Rey asked quietly, her fingers tightening in his grasp.

“I have no idea” Kylo chuckled despite the seriousness of the situation

 “But, I’m hoping to find out” he said honestly, his smile finally finding purchase on his lips. Rey’s eyes widened in surprise at the change in his expression, the first time she had even seen such a look on his face. Her own shock breaking into a growing smile that caused Kylo’s to widen until it filled his cheeks.

“Me too” Rey answered softly.


	2. Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo meets the locals and they do not like him. Rey give him a tour of the island and Kylo and Rey have a heart to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter was a lot more lighthearted than originally intended but I had way too much fun writing the fish nuns parts. Hope you enjoy. I may extend this to 4 chapters and an epilogue. If you like it it let me know with comments and kudos. They are my fave.
> 
> Thanks, RedCatRen

That first night they had not spoken much, too overwhelmed to try and voice everything that needed to be said. Content at least for that moment to take solace in the comfort each other's presence brought them. No longer alone for once. The eventual silence offering everything they needed as the rhythm of the ever-falling rain lulled them into a deep slumber.

The Force thrumming pleasantly as their opposing energies blended into a comfortable balance.   


Kylos back ached as he awoke slowly the next morning, the cold floor of hut offering no support or comfort to his tired body. Stretching his muscles as he willed himself awake, a loud yawn rumbled from his chest.   


Finally opening his eyes, he froze as his gaze was met by the wide eyed, suspicious glares of four very unwelcoming creatures. As he bolted upwards in fright, the four individuals Kylo could only describe as fish wives dressed as nuns, backed away from him, brooms held aloft in clear threat. Scanning around the room in momentary confusion he noted Rey was nowhere to be found.

The irate nuns advanced again, one being so bold as to poke him in the chest with her broom, as began to babble angrily between them. 

Wincing from the creature's poke to his chest, Kylo batted her broom away petulantly. Her tool clattering loudly on the stone floor as Kylo used the force to push it away This merely caused the fish Nuns to chat more loudly in disgust, their glares even more disdainful than before.

A second nun hit him in the shoulder with her broom before gesturing to the open door. Angrily babbling being punctuated by irate pointing at the sooty remains of the fire, mud covered flag stones and discarded fish bones. Another third nun hit his other shoulder, pointing even more animatedly at the door. Getting more and more vocal for him to leave the hut.   


"Ow...okay...okay. I'm going." He grumbled loudly, rising to his feet with a huff. The nuns followed him, shaking their small fists at his exit, each one loudly muttering their displeasure in his presence. One of them landing a final thump on his backside as he bent to exit the hut.   


"Was that really necessary?" He exclaimed, watching as the creatures blew a petulant raspberry at him before disappearing back into the hut.   


" I see you've met Ahch-Tos wonderful caretakers" Rey grinned as she exited one of the other uninhabited huts, a bucket of fish scraps in her arms.   


"If you mean the ornery fish wives, then yes I have" he replied touchily, rubbing his smarting cheeks with a glower.

"You could have warned me about their unique wake up call" he sighed with a slight smirk. Rey looked so lovely when she smiled he could not find it in himself to remain annoyed with her. Rey’s grin grew as she shrugged.

"Now where's the fun in that" she replied, continuing her journey out of the main collection of huts and down a small set of steps on the opposite side to where had arrived the night before.    


Following her, Kylo took in the view from the stairway now the weather had brought clear skies and sun to the island. The descent offering a full overview of the landscape, displaying a green, but rugged slope of steep hills that bled into the aquamarine water below. As he made his way down after Rey he heard the happy chirrups of Porgs and other small sea birds as the roosted on the cliffs either side of the winding stone steps. Their large, innocent eyes watching him with interest as he wandered past, one or two tottering after him with gentle curiosity.

Rey soon entered a small vegetable garden at the bottom of the slope that looked like it had been tilled painstakingly into shape despite the rocky topsoil. The telltale stalks of potatoes and other root vegetables clear in the dark, sodden earth. Once a scavenger, always a scavenger Kylo thought affectionately, knowing the little garden had been all Rey’s work. His uncle Luke had never been a particularly resourceful man. He watched for a moment as she gently pulled at the weeds that had sprouted around her prized vegetables, carefully removing anything that would inhibit their growth.Humming contently, Rey began to place some of the fish bones and scraps from her bucket into the soil, spreading it out evenly amongst her small arrangement of produce. Kylos stomach suddenly turned at the smell, an odor that assault almost all five of his senses and he was forced to walk further upwind.

"God's how can you take that stench" he gagged, covering his nose with his sleeve.

"I've smelled worse" Rey chuckled "I worked for Unkar Plutt remember"

"Where did you even get that?" He replied, gesturing at the bucket as his eyes began to stream at the smell.

"I went fishing this morning while you were loudly snoring on the floor, the rest is in the smoke house drying" Rey replied, finally rising to her feet again.

"I do not snore" Kylo scoffed.

Walking passed him to the steep steps again, she flashed him a teasing grin.

"Yes Ben, you do. Worse than a sandborer."

Kylo’s jaw tightened as his ears pinked in embarrassment. He scoffed again but didn’t say anything further, stomping up the hillside behind her like a sulking child after a minute. 

Trailing behind, he brooded the entire way to the top, attempting to follow Rey into another of the empty huts before being impeded. His path blocked by yet another caretaker, her little arms clutching at a small stick. Looking up at him with distrust and annoyance, a low grumble came from her large mouth and Kylo wondered what he had done to offend her now.

“What? What could I have possibly done?” he groused loudly.

“Tried to walk in on me while I’m bathing. I’m naked right now” Rey’s cheerful voice laughed “the Caretakers are very strict about things like that”

Kylo’s whole face went puce as he backed away from the hut in surprise.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.  I’ll just go....find something else to do” he mumbled awkwardly, striding over to main hut they had shared the night before.  Before he had even crossed the threshold, the same babbling nuns from earlier batted at his shins and ordered him away.

Rey’s soft laugh tinkled behind him as he heard her exit the hut once more.

“I didn’t think it was possible, but you seem to be the only person they hate more than me”.

Turning to face her, he was relieved to see she had been messing with him earlier. Her face and hands had been scrubbed clean, but nothing else indicated he had almost seen her sans tunic.

“You’re really not helping” Kylo replied sardonically, rubbing his shin and shooting the rest of the Caretakers a look of contempt.

“Come on, stop scowling. Let’s have some breakfast and I’ll show the rest of this godsforsaken rock” Rey said teasingly. Kylo sighed, but showed no resistance.

“Fine, but it better not be fish after that awful smell you subjected me to” he smirked.

“No fish, well I guess that’s more for me then” Rey retorted with a grin as Kylo rolled his eyes at her.

….....................................................

Their journey around the island that morning had not taken them long, the desolate place was barely larger than the size of a battle cruiser. It had taken less than an hour to walk from one side to the other. They had thankfully avoided the Caretakers little village on the Northern shore much to his relief, Kylo had seen enough of them today to last him a millennium. The Lanai had likewise appreciated their avoidance wholeheartedly. 

Much of the remaining areas of the island were occupied by nests of squawking porgs and grunting thala-sirens as they rested by the shore. Luke’s sunken x-wing on the western tip of the island a strange contrast to the teeming wildlife on the cliffs and waters below. 

 The remains of the ancient uneti tree had held some interest for Kylo when they had come upon it, the once great tree’s charred and twisted branches still whispering softly through the Force. He knew the sacred texts had not met the same fate as their host, having spied the offending articles in Rey’s hut the night before. Once a scavenger, always a scavenger he laughed internally.

Kylo’s interested and attention was finally piqued when they passed the Black cave Rey had described before, its dark presence vibrating in the Force, calling to the deepest parts of him. Whispering of desires and wants, hidden truths and tales of futures to unfold. This time however, neither he nor Rey felt the need to heed its summons. The dark had held sway on his attentions for long enough.

Soon Rey brought him to the very top of the island, the winding, ancient stone stairway leading upwards into the very heart of the island, deep inside the very rock that held Ahch-To together.

Within it he felt the Force surround him once more, darkness and light swirling round in an endless cycle of balance. It neither overwhelmed him or enraged him, but brought with it a peace he hadn’t felt in years. 

“What is this place?” he whispered in wonder, his gazed fixed on the small black and white mosaic in the middle of the floor.

“The temple of the Grey Jedi” Rey answered simply, watching his awestruck eyes with interest.

“Grey Jedi?” Kylo scoffed in disbelief, cocking a dark eyebrow at her.

“Yes Grey Jedi.” she repeated with a small smile “ _There is passion, yet peace; serenity, yet emotion; chaos, yet order._ Light. Dark. And in between, balance”.

Kylo looked at her skeptically a bemused smirk on his lips.

“I don’t think centuries of Sith and Jedi masters would quite agree on that” he said haughtily.

“What?” Rey laughed “Not everything in the universe has to be black and white Ben”

“If you say so...” he muttered sarcastically, looking back at the mosaic. His body suddenly stiffened as he looked out towards the sunlight ledge at the open end of the cavern.

His jaw tensing.

Rey followed his gaze, her own expression darkening.

“That’s where....” she began.

“...Luke became one with the Force” Kylo finished quietly.

“Yes” Rey replied sadly.

His expression darkened further as an internal struggle played across his face. Sighing loudly Kylo walked out towards cliff’s edge. Placing his hand on the flattened boulder in the centre of the ledge, he stared out at the endless expanse of ocean before him. Wondering if this had been the last sight his uncle had seen before his death. An ending almost too peaceful for a man who had caused such chaos.

“Does the anger ever go?” Rey said behind him, leaning against the cavern wall, her arms crossed over her chest.

“No” Kylo replied sourly “but eventually the fear and the hatred does....and all you’re left with is regret.”

“Luke truly was sorry in the end” Rey said softly, walking closer to him “He never forgave himself for what he did.”

“I know” Kylo said tiredly, his jaw grinding over the words “and maybe one day I will forgive him. But not yet.”

Rey nodded and stared off into the blue water below, lost in her own thoughts.

“Will you ever forgive yourself, for the things you’ve done?” she said after a moment, glancing up at Kylo seriously.

He met her gaze for the briefest of seconds, his expression lost and forlorn before dropping his eyes again to his feet.

“Never" he answered dejected " I never will and neither should you". His though told a different story.

“Well I do. I have no choice but to forgive you. It’s better than living a life filled with bitterness” Rey said sincerely. Kylo’s wide, hopeful eyes met hers in mild surprise, his spirit lightened at her admission.

“That sounds like a very noble way to be.” he mumbled, unsure of how to express his relief in any other way.

“It’s not noble, it’s just a only way to survive the dark in this world.” Rey sighed, turning to walk back to the cavern. Kylo stayed watching the rushing tide, making no move to follow her.

Pausing a moment at the edge of the cave she asked him one final question.

“That day on the Supremacy, when we fought over the lightsabre, did you ever regret not coming back with me to the Resistance?” Rey said solemnly, hoping he would not scoff at her earnest question. Kylo turned his head to her with a sad smile.

“I regretted it the moment I woke up alone” he said honestly “did you ever regret leaving?”

Rey’s heart leaped in her chest at his answer, her pulses quickening. Biting her lip to steady her nerves, she nodded slowly.

“Yeah, I have regretted it. Lost hours wondering what if. But things always ended the way they needed to" she sighed quietly. 

Something unspoken passed between them then, an energy rushing down the once dormant bond like a strike of electricity in a lightning storm. The unexpressed longing and betrayal they had felt slipping out into the open. Kylo gulped as he felt his own loneliness and dejections mirrored in her feelings too. Rey quickly snapped her mind shut before he could see anything further.

Clearing her throat awkwardly, Rey gave him a tight, uncomfortable smile and walked back into the gloom of the cavern without another word. Leaving him alone with his thoughts once more.

….................................................................................................................................................

The walk back to the huts was made even longer as he climbed the steps alone in the rain, his heavy, black trousers and shirt now laden with rainwater and thick mud. Reaching the summit, a poncho clad Caretaker ushered him into the hut Rey had washed in earlier, a rapid yabber of indecipherable words accompanied by wild gestures and blank stares before he could object. He grudgingly accepted he probably reeked after the two days of no bathing. Pointing at the water bucket, a bar of soap and a set of clean clothes, no doubt pilfered from his Silencer, the Caretaker left him alone in the gloomy space.

Sighing deeply he peeled the dirty clothes off his back and placed them as delicately as he could in a pile. Before he could even blink a small hand reached out and removed them from beside the doorway. The gentle thump of the Lanai’s footfalls scurrying away down the hillside before he could even voice his surprise.

The water was pleasantly warm as he used the bar of soap to wash the grime and sweat of the previous two days from his skin and hair. The soap a rich aroma of fresh lavendar and something earthy he did not recognise. Finally clean enough to dress once more, Kylo was shocked to see the clothes provided were not his own. But a set of what assumed were his uncles' pale grey robes. Inside he quietly seethed at the trick, but seeing no option but to wear them unless he wanted to roam around in his undershorts, he quickly dressed. The trousers woefully short on his tall frame.

Rey tried hard not to choke on her own tongue in laughter as soon as he entered her hut, his face aflame in embarrassment.

“Yeah, yeah! Laugh it up, one of the fish wives stole my clothes” he grumbled, pulling at the too short sleeves of the grey tunic grumpily.

“I’m mean, it’s so you” Rey howled with laughter as Kylo scratched his head awkwardly. A smile beginning to crack on his scowling face despite his best efforts to sulk. Eventually Rey’s mirth got the better of his bad temper and he chuckled loudly, a wide sardonic grin filling his face.

“Why do they hate me so much?” he laughed, delighting in Rey’s continued laughter as she tears rolled down her face in hysteria.

“Guess you’re just special. Or maybe they just hated all the black” Rey hiccupped before rolling around in laughter at the sight of his outfit once more.

After a time, Rey’s giggles subsided and Kylo noticed one of the Jedi texts open upon the hard bench Rey used as a bed. The lining of a repurposed seat, no doubt from the Falcon, served as a thin mattress to give some small comfort against the rock.

“Trying to catch up on some reading?” Kylo asked with curiosity, sitting on crate like the night before.

“Not really, I’ve been trying for years to try and decipher the text but I’ve never been able to translate them to any form I can understand. It’s a little hopeless” Rey huffed unhappily, throwing a look of contempt at the old book.

“Nonsense. Let me have a look. I may be able to help” Kylo said kindly.

“You know how to read ancient Aurabesh?” she replied flatly, dubious he could do better than she had for 3 years.

“Oh course, I was padawan remember” Kylo retorted confidentially.

Picking up the book, he smiled as the words quickly came together.

“You can read it, can’t you” Rey sighed wearily, narrowing her eyes in defeat.

“Yep” Kylo replied with just a hint of arrogance.

“They’ll be no living with you now” Rey sighed again, a smirk forming on her lips as she rolled her eyes at his cheeky grin.

“Stop gloating and just help me already” she whined.

The rest of the evening passed in the blink of an eye as Rey and Kylo studied the texts in earnest and soon the two moons had risen high into the night’s sky. They had only stopped briefly for a supper of dried bantha and vegetable stew before returning to the books again.

Soon though both Rey’s and Kylo’s eyes began to droop in sheer exhaustion and they were forced to end the lessons for the night.

Despite Rey’s protests they could just about share the bunk, Kylo had insisted on sleeping on the floor again. His father's lessons of chivalry a hard habit to break in spite of the pain the cold stone floor would cause. Kylo had a least compromised on using the rolled up spare blanket Rey had offered to prop his head up, his dry cowl more than adequate as a blanket from the cold. It did not take long for them both to fall into a sound sleep.

Unfortunately, Kylo’s sleep did not remain peaceful.

Rey was awoken early into the morning by the rattling of the texts and clattering of metal on her makeshift shelf. Items tumbling to the ground as the entire hut shook and swayed violently. The metal door creaked and moaned as it started to bend inwards. It did not take Rey long to find the source of this commotion. 

Kylo lay sodden in sweat on the floor beside her, his eyes still closed but face twisted in agony. Tossing side to side, he whimpered in his sleep. A long moaned exited his downturned mouth as another trembled rocked the hut. He was having a nightmare.

Sliding out of bed, Rey knelt on the floor beside him. Her hands hovering over his face, unsure whether to touch him. Finally resolving to just try calm him, she placed her palms on his cheeks, focusing on sending waves of light into his troubled mind.

The shaking of the hut started to lessen as his face began to relax.

“You’re okay Ben. I’ve got you” Rey said softly, running a thumb over his flushed skin.

“You’re safe”

The pressure on the door stopped and finally the hut stilled once more. Kylo’s eyes fluttered open as he awoke, Rey’s hands still on his face.

Blinking at her rapidly, a frightened confusion clouding his senses, Kylo’s breath hitched.

“You’re okay, you just had a nightmare.” Rey whispered soothingly, running her hand down his soft dark hair like a mother comforting her child. Kylo breathed deeply again as his heart rate slowed, the last of the images that had haunted him dissolving into the night.

Looking around the room he saw the mess he had caused. 

“I’m so sorry” he mumbled shamefully, voice thick with sleep “I’ll clean that up now”

Rey rested her hand on his chest as he tried to sit up. Pushing back down gently, she shook her head with small smile.

“Don’t, we can do it tomorrow. Just try to sleep Ben.”

He nodded in submission, his tiredness winning out. As Rey went to move back to her bed, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. 

“Please, can you stay here a little while.” he asked sleepily, eyes soft and vulnerable.

“Of course” she whispered, running her hands once more through his hair as she sat down close to his head.

Kylo’s concerned face relaxed again as his eyes started to droop.

“I’m sorry I disrupted your rest” he said meekly, clearly apologetic for his destruction.

“Don’t be Ben. I get nightmares too. It’s hard not to after the lives we’ve lived” she said sadly “What do you dream about?”

Ben did not reply for a moment, his sleep drunk frown deepening as he pondered his answer.

“Sometimes I see Snoke ,others times Luke or my mother, but most of the time...Han and you. Dying by my hand. They are the worst” Kylo replied, his heart heavy.

Rey continued to run her hands over his wavy locks, eyes staring off into the night as she processed his softly spoken words

"Sometimes I have nightmares that I'm still stuck on Jakku” Rey said wistfully, unable to stop the flow of words as they came from her heart.

“It’s always the same. That terror I’m wasting my life away waiting, hoping for someone who never comes.  Sometimes there are moments I wish the last 3 years had never happened, but then .....I remember the life I left on that awful planet and I’m thankful for the pain".

Kylo doesn’t need to push too hard to see Rey’s thoughts as they drift to the source of her fears of returning to Jakku. The shape of the man that had destroyed what little was left of her childhood. Unkar Plutt, the creature who had almost broken her entirely.   


"I killed him Rey" Ben murmured softly, the words slipping out unexpectedly. His eyes widened in utter shock at his own rashness. Terrifiedould reject him after this admission.

"Who?" Rey said with trepidation, already knowing what he was going to say.

"Unkar Plutt. I went back to Jakku to confront him after what I saw. " Ben paused as he watched Rey's eyes darken. " I didn’t mean to, but...I couldn’t stop myself. I killed him" Ben said regretfully.

"Why?" Rey said tightly, her eyes becoming glassy with unshed tears.

"He didn't deserve to live after what he'd stolen from you, how he made you suffer to survive." Ben replied, his eyes fiery with something Rey couldn’t place.

"That wasn't your place to decide." She whispered, hands stilling in his hair as a tear rolled down her face.

"I know, but I didn't want you to be afraid anymore." He murmured softly, his eyes looking deeply into hers. Urging her to see he would cut down anyone who dared to hurt her.

Rey wiped at the tear on her cheek, looking away from Ben for a moment as she let out a shaky breath. Her heart thumping in her chest, a rush of something undefined filling her chest for Ben. Turning to face him again, she traced the scar on his face gently. Their eyes meeting for a moment before she leaned down to press a lingering kiss to his mouth. Her eyes closing as she expressed everything words never could. Not yet anyway. Ben was too shocked to reciprocate, his chest heaving and breath ragged at her contact. Rey's face went bright red as she pulled away, Ben’s eyes wide and full of wonder.

Yet she did not regret her rashness despite how self conscious Ben's eyes were making her feel at that second.

"Thank you" she mumbled quietly, resuming her ministrations through his hair. Ben nodded still in shock.

“You are welcome” he mumbled in response, unable to process anything else but her hands in his hair. Silence returned again and soon Ben began to drift back to sleep, the gently pads of Reys fingers running against his scalp lulling into an easy daydream. His lips still burned with the taste of her mouth and his heartrate still racing out of time . But he was way too exhausted to ponder upon the meaning of that kiss, a puzzle to be solved at the dawn. Instead he took simple pleasure in her comfort and for those brief sweet moments he was at peace for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will Rey and Ben react to that kiss?! Awkwardness and terrible flirting lie ahead. Preview for next chapter....an old friend returns! Next chapter should be up Saturday.


	3. Day 3 Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo is surprised by an old friend as Rey and Kylo continue to be awkward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a much longer chapter but I've decided to split it! Things will start to heat up in the next chapter and the flirting and awkwardness will increase. If you enjoyed this please let me know and thanks to all who commented and kudosed so far.

The first of two sun's had begun rise above the horizon as Rey stirred from her deep sleep. The morning's piercing light turning the clear, inky skies above a warm orange and pink, throwing long shadows against the back wall of the hut. Blinking rapidly Rey smiled as she welcomed in a new and pleasant day. Beside her Kylo lay on the floor asleep, completely dead to the world and snoring louder than a desperate nerf in heat. The once Supreme Leader of galaxy utterly oblivious to the number of decibels his sleeping mouth could produce. Rolling on her side to face him with a sigh, Rey knew she would not get any further sleep with the racket he was making. She chuckled again at the sight of his large frame packed into the comically short Jedi robes of his uncle. His arms and legs several inches longer than the fabric could cover.

Such a disparity in length really wasn't practical in climate like this she thought with a grin. Rey would try at least to get the Caretakers to return his trousers! Luke's old grey, stiff pants barely reaching passed his mid-calf, such was the length of Kylo’s gigantic legs.  Legs Rey couldn't help but notice held a pleasant level of muscle and power,just like the rest of his immense body. Pushing such errant thoughts away, she rolled onto her back and began to get up.

Stretching as she sat up, her shoulders and neck cracked deliciously in response. Resolving to let her guest sleep a little longer, Rey set about starting her day. The dawn already fast approaching.  She was happy to begin the morning alone. Not that she was willing to admit it, her decision to leave Kylo to his dreams was somewhat driven by the fact she wasn't ready to face him yet. To hear his inevitable questions about last night. He would want to know the reason behind that kiss she had given him so impulsively in the early hours. An action she still did not regret, but whose implications were not something she was qualified in dealing with. Because the answer to this conundrum was not something she had even begun to fathom yet. 

Pushing it aside for the moment, she left the hut without a second glance. Walking out towards the wash hut, the early dawn's beauty at her back, she resolved to just let things lie until such time as she was ready to discuss things calmly. Quietly knowing it was impossible.

Rey was relieved to see the early rising Lanai had refilled the wash bucket and laid out a clean, fresh outfit before she had even entered the small hut. Running her fingers over the pale blue tunic and soft, sandy brown leggings her thoughts were lost once more to the memory of the kiss last night. Her lips tingling at the sensation of Ben’s mouth against hers, his skin softer and warmer than she had anticipated. Shaking herself free from the image, determined to carry on as normally as she could despite how the memory made her blush, Rey began her morning in earnest. 

 Taking her time to scrub all the previous day's dirt from her body, Rey watched the sky grow brighter through the narrow open windows facing the cliff side. Finally donning into her new outfit, Rey felt almost equipped to deal with Ben’s certain curiosity. Pausing at the hut door, the sound of his snore permeating the chill morning air, she quickly turned on her heel with a blush. Deciding instead to retrieve some Thala siren milk for the morning's meal, eventhough the round trip was likely to take an hour at best. Rey was not ready to answer to those big, beautiful brown eyes yet.  
 

Kylos easy dreams was disrupted not long after Rey had left for the cliffs, his exposed left foot prodded by an invited guest. Groaning loudly as the prodding moved to his rib cage, he opened one sleepy, annoyed eye to glare at the intruder. Fully expecting his gaze to fall on a dour faced fish nun, he found instead the hairy, unimpressed scowl of a Wookie.   
 

<Boy! >  

Chewies irate growl snapping him awake in a nanosecond. Panic rising in an instant. He gasped and backed rapidly away from his father's oldest friend. The very same friend who had shot him the last time they had met. 

 

<Boy! You have been very bad. Chewbacca should punish you!> Chewie roared again.   
 

Not wanting to hurt his ersatz uncle, but also fearing for his own life, Kylo scrambled to his feet and bolted for the door. Pushing it open so explosively using the Force, the metal door ripped off its hinges and tumbled off the side of the cliff far into the water below. 

"Kriff" Kylo cursed as he heard it disappear into the waves below, immediately attempting to run as far from Chewie as possible as the Wookie lunged for him. Racing down the hillside, his escape was impeded by the wet flagstones from rain the night before, his feet slipping out from underneath him. Kylo’s heart still as he awaited the inevitable killing blow from his pursuer. Instead he heard a deep rumble of amusement. His confusion rising as he raised his head to see the old Wookie smiling. No animosity or indication he intended to do him harm clear in his face.  
 

Chewie laughed heartily as he saw Kylo cover in mud, the air rushing out of his lungs as his chest had hit the stones underneath. Chewie was right beside him in a moment in three wide strides, shaking his head as his adopted nephew groaned in the dirt.   
 

<Boy nothing but overgrown pup, always causing trouble.> Chewie chastised  Kylo with a tired harrumph. 

<Later you fix Sunshine's door or I hang you off that cliff. Understand?> he added, pointing back at Rey’s hut with a huff. 

“Yes uncle Chewie” Kylo wheezed painfully in response, flopping onto his back as he tried to catch his breath. Chewie snorted after a beat but not add anything further. He suddenly reached down and lifted Kylo to feet before pulling him up into a crushing bear hug. 

<It is good to see idiot Boy again. Even though he not visit yesterday! Very rude> Chewie growled. 

“I didn’t even know you were here” Kylo’s confused muffled voice argued against the Wookie’s hairy chest. 

<Where else would Chewbacca be? Sunshine is only human left I like> he grumbled finally releasing Kylo again. 

“Fine, well, I never thought you’d want to see me after....what happened” Kylo said shamefully. Chewie chirruped sadly at this, his kind brown eyes downcast. 

<Chewbacca know Boy is sorry. Princess and Smuggler forgive Boy so Chewbacca forgive Boy> he purred in reply. 

 Kylo shifted foot to foot awkwardly not knowing what to say to Chewie’s kindness. 

<Come, Chewbacca need help with Falcon. Boy must work> the old Wookie grumbled after a moment. Picking up Kylo like a small child and walking down the path to the ships before his nephew could protest. 

.......... 

Rey nearly dropped the full bottle of blue siren milk when she returned to her hut. The loud squawking of invading, curious Porgs in her home causing her rush in and to shoo them out. The lack of door meaning her warm, moderately comfortable bed had become a perfect place for nesting and sleeping away from the element. Her other possessions stamped on and sniffed at by nosy, uninhibited creatures. The occupying sea birds voiced their complaints at Rey as she rushed at them, but exited the hut as instructed in a flurry of nervous warbles. 

Finally free from the obnoxious chirrups of the rambunctious Porgs, Rey went about investigating the cause.

Inspecting the broken hinges of the door frame and noticeable grooves in the mud leading to a sheer drop, it did not take Rey long to put two and two together. 

“For kriffs sake Ben” Rey groaned, putting the milk inside and scouring the surrounding area for something suitable to temporarily block any further overzealous Porgs. Thankfully finding a large grey boulder after a short search to do the trick. Concentrating hard she lifted it from its resting place and wedged it in front of the entrance. Stalking down the steps, sensing his presence down by the Falcon, she set off to give that overgrown child a piece of her mind. Blood boiling that hadn’t even cleaned up the mess from the night before like he had supposed to! She was mad.

…..... 

Kylo had resolutely avoiding look down the corridor to the cockpit when Chewie had finally released him on the Falcon. The memories of times gone by, too great a pain to endure if he focused too hard on the empty Captain's chair and gold dice that lay at the end of that short walkway. His father's ghost beckoning him, surrounding every inch of the ship like a fine mist. He could hardly breathe until he had made his way far away main hold and into the engineering bay. Marching into back of the ancient ship, he tried to ignore the pang of melancholy he felt at the familiar smell that surrounded him. 

Watching him carefully, Chewie could smell the anxiety rolling off him. The wookie did not utter a single grunt in response though, conscious this would only make things worse. Handing Kylo a tool, he pointed at the back panel before moving off to attend to another pressing problem.

<Why is Boy wearing ladies' trousers, not have nice pants of own?> Chewie teased after a while as they worked on the Falcon’s ancient comms system. Chewie needing Kylo’s smaller fingers to maneuver the mass of fine wires close to the compressor. One false move would likely result in an unfortunate explosion, and at best, some very singed fur or hair depending on who caused it! 

“They’re Luke’s. The Caretakers took mine. Even the spare ones in the Silencer” Kylo said glumly, sulking as his uncle chuckled loudly. 

<Chewbacca likes the Fish Nuns, they know how to mess with Boy good.> 

“Yeah whatever fur ball” Kylo muttered petulantly, earning himself a good-natured slap on the head from Chewie in response. 

<Boy too cheeky like father before. Concentrate on wires not talking back> the Wookie grinned. 

Both froze as they heard Rey’s telltale boots thump up the walkway into the Falcon. Her footsteps heavy as she stamped her way into the main hold. 

Kylo winced as he felt her displeasure rolling through the Force. She was not happy with him.

“Ben, what the hell happened to my door? There were Porgs...Everywhere!” she hissed angrily as she turned the corner, glaring up at him as he looked back sheepishly. 

<Boy threw it off cliff, thought Chewbacca had come to tear arms off. He run like pup> Chewie grunted with a grin, wandering off to attend to another matter in the Falcon. 

Eager to avoid their inevitable confrontation.

 Rey’s angry expression softened for a moment as he passed, before scowling at Kylo again. 

“I’m sorry, it was an accident. Chewie took me by surprise and I panicked.” Kylo flushed, turning back to the task at hand. 

“You panicked? You’re the almighty Kylo Ren and you decided throwing my door off a cliff was preferable option to speaking with Chewie?” Rey scoffed, fighting off a smile that threatened to break her ill-humour at him. 

“Well....maybe if you had warned me by uncle, who may I add shot me the last time we met, wanted to see me, I would have been more rational!” Kylo growled back, his temper rising to cover his embarrassment. He did not dare look at her, his focus fixed upon the open comms panel as he tried in vain to reconnect a loose wire. Rey sighed as she dropped her eyes, not responding for a moment.  

“I thought if I told you he was here too, you’d leave.” she said simply, her face tight and uncomfortable. Kylo paused, a deep sigh rushing out his nose. 

“Why would you ever think that?” he replied quietly. Rey shrugged as she leaned against the opposite wall, crossing her arms across her chest. Avoiding the answer that lay just below the surface.But Kylo already knew, he’d always known. 

She expected everyone to leave. 

Kylo could feel it, that sense of rejection, that fear of being alone.  

His face softened as he turned to face her, tilting his head to catch her gaze. 

“I’m not going anywhere Rey, I have nowhere else to go and nowhere else I want to go” he said quietly. Rey’s posture relaxed a little at this, but she remained silent as she stared at him across the gangway. 

“Just FYI, you probably should have told me. I nearly blew up the Falcon when I arrived" Kylo smirked.

Rey rolled her eyes at him, her smirk deepening.

"You really hated this ship, don't you"

"This heap of junk and I have a love-hate relationship. Always have." Kylo said sardonically, his dark eyes flashing with mischief.

"Just don't go tossing it off any cliffs for the moment. A door was quite enough" Rey retorted teasingly.

Kylo scoffed, biting at his lip as he fought to contain a smile spreading on his sober features. "I’ll find you a new door.....even if I have to search the sea floor for the first one. You have my word” Kylo said warmly, a small smirk quirking at his lips. Rey’s eyes lit up as a smile broke through. 

“I’ll hold you to that” she said after a beat or two, Kylo’s smirk broadening into a smile in response. He turned back to the mess of wires again with a snort that could almost be mistaken for a chuckle, his hands carefully trying to separate the last wire from the tangle. Unfortunately, his fingers proved too thick to unwind the pesky, delicate line. 

“Kriff...” he muttered audibly, knowing if he lost the wire now, he would never find it again. 

“Need some help?” Rey said cheerfully, suddenly by his back. Kylo tried not to shiver in surprise and delight at her close proximity, her breath tickling his ear as she peered over his shoulder. 

“No, I’m alright” he replied as evenly as he could, conscious she could possibly sense his discomfort. Eventually the Force would show her what he hid below.

Leaning closer, Rey let out a short chuckle as she noted the mess of tangled wires and Kylo’s increasingly flushed and frustrated face. 

“You sure don’t look alright” she smirked knowingly, moving to his side to peer into the open console. 

“I’m fine” he huffed back grouchily, his left hand suddenly wrenched from the interior of the Falcon as a stray wire gave him a small shock. Rey’s presence distracting him more than he’d care to admit. Thumping his aching fist against the ship wall in annoyance, he grumbled under his breath. 

- _Kriffing_ _piece of junk_  

“C’mon, let me help. Reconnecting the Holo and aux line in this old girl is my specialty.” she said brightly as she tried to repress the urge to laugh as Kylo nursed his mildly scorched thumb. Mouth set in an unhappy pout as tried to cool the digit in his mouth. His right hand still tightly held the precious wire deep in the wild tangle of cables as his jaw jumped in aggitation. 

“I am fine” he said more forcefully, voice muffled by his thumb still lodged in his mouth. Before he could protest any further, Rey had rolled her eyes and wedged herself in front of him. Pressing her back totally against him as she squirmed to get a better view. 

“Rey...I am more than capable to finish this by myself.....” Kylo began to protest, his eyes wide and face blushing again as he became hyper aware of her pert backside lodged directly against his body. Rey was oblivious to the effect every little movement did to him as she arched forward to fix the comms console. Her constant rocking forth into the open panel, rubbing against his crotch almost deliciously. Kylo tried desperately to think of anything else except for how he was much he was starting to enjoy this. Parts of him he had thought long since dead, igniting at the press of her body against his. Thoughts turning treacherously to the kiss the night before.

" _And what a kiss it had been. Gods above."_ he thought to himself, his control slipping.

"...Hmmm what? Did you say something?" Rey asked with interest, her light hazel eyes looking up at him in bewilderment.

"What? No..." Kylo replied blankly, his heart stopping and throat tightening as he snapped his mind shut. Terrified she would see everything racing through his head at that second.

"Oh..." she said confused, her brow furrowed as she looked up at him "I could have sworn I heard something?"

Kylo shook his head heavily, willing his cheeks not to darken as she stared up at him. Shrugging, Rey returning to task at hand with aplomb. Lurching forward so forcefully against Kylo's crotch, he had to bite his tongue to save from groaning. Taking a deep breath to collect himself, he huffed loudly as finally spoke again.

"Really Rey...I don't need you're help"

"Sure you don't" she retorted, twisting further into the ships cabling.

“I grew up on this heap of junk.. I know how to...” Kylo grumbled before being interrupted by Rey’s happy laugh. 

“Fixed it!” she grinned back at him over her shoulder, her smile so wide and bright his annoyance almost immediately disappeared. 

“Of course you did” he grumbled good-naturedly, finally releasing the wire he had held so tightly.

“You can thank me later” Rey answered cheekily, turning back to the panel and tightening the last of the loose cabling. 

“I can think of a few ways” Kylo said huskily almost without meaning to, leaning in closer as she had done. Watching with rapt attention as her nimble hands reconnected the comms system, his mouth dangerously close to her cheek as he angled his body forward. Kylo was fully aware how such actions could be interpreted, but Rey’s unintentional teasing had unlocked something deep inside of him. Unfortunately, his tone and closeness took Rey by surprise and made her hands fumble in nervousness, two opposing current coming into contact with devastating consequences.  

Before either of them could blink, the force of the electricity that surged through them had sent them both crashing again the opposite wall. Kylo wincing badly as Rey collided with his chest and they both collapsed in a wheezing, pained heap. Rey tried to turn underneath his massive frame as it fell on her, Kylo momentarily dazed and winded after the blow to his sternum. She tried after a moment to use the Force to free herself, but found her arms too impeded to move him.  

“Ben, get up. You’re way too heavy” she complained, trying again to physically move him to no avail. 

“Owww” Kylo groaned against her shoulder, finally regaining his senses and rolling off her. 

Both then remained on the floor trying to catch their breath, bones aching after the collision. 

 After a few seconds the sound of muffled laughter drew Rey’s attention back to Kylo. Her initial confusion abating as he burst out into a full belly laugh at catching her gaze. It was the first time she had seen the deep dimples that formed in his cheeks as he beamed, her own laughter escaping as she laughed at their stupidity. The laughter erupting into breathless giggles as they turned on the floor to face one another. Rey rested her face into the firm expanse of his chest as her giggles descended into hysterics. Kylo’s arm coming to rest of her shoulder and chin nestled against her hair as he shook in great gulping giggles. 

Their small, private moment of hilarity was interrupted after a moment, by the teasing gurgle of an amused wookie. 

<If Boy and Sunshine wanted alone time in Falcon, tell Chewbacca first you should.> 

His eyes were warm and knowing as he looked between them with interest. 

Rey’s face flamed at his suggestion and she quickly rose to her feet, her laughter all but dead. 

“Don’t be absurd Chewie” she replied huffily, blush deepening into a bright shade of crimson. 

Chewie snorted in response as Rey stomped off the Falcon, leaving a rapidly blinking Kylo on the floor in disappointment. Turning to his nephew, Chewie laughed as he spoke. 

<Your musk smells stronger when Sunshine is around. You are interested in mating. No?> 

Kylo’s eyes widened as he spluttered in shock, suddenly feeling very hot as his embarrassment rose. 

“Chewie what are you talking about...Musk? Mating? It's not like that, she's...Rey’s just my friend.” Kylo exclaimed. 

< Oh yes only friend> Chewie laughed. 

<Friend who makes you smell strong of musk, makes you to puff out chest like alpha and change the colour of face. Of yes, no interest in mating with her you have.> 

Kylo splutters again, wanting a passing ship to shoot him dead rather than continue this conversation. 

”It’s not like...what I mean is...I'm....not.” he struggled to speak, his mind in overdrive trying to deflect the Wookie away from his line of questioning. Finding no words to help him, his face burned hotter than Mustafar as he continued to splutter unintelligibly.

Rising to his feet, Kylo attempted to walk away from his embarrassment but his uncle followed. 

<What big deal Boy, you both fully grown. Not pups anymore. You want mate and Sunshine want mate too. I can tell> Chewie said matter-of-factly, trailing closely behind him. 

“Oh my gods, we are not discussing this anymore” Kylo choked on his breath in despair. 

< Why? Life too long to stay all alone. >

The Wookie's kinds eyes darkened a fraction as he growled his next sentence.

<But hear me now Boy, you treat Sunshine right or you and Chewbacca have trouble. You understand?>

Striding out of the Falcon, Kylo pulled at his hair, willing his uncle to stop with all his might. 

“Look, whatever you think you saw just now. It was nothing but a moment between friends. So stop. Please! You know nothing.” he growled, tired of the Wookie pressing the issue.

Chewbacca reached forward and grabbed the scruff of Kylo's robe in response, his duly patience tested. Lifting him up off his feet like a scolded pup, Chewie stared at him solemnly. After a moment he grunted tetchily. 

<Boy, you forget Chewbacca live long time, seen many things. War, peace, truth, lies. But most important, Chewbacca see love and hate. Knows difference between the things human are told to believe you see and what humans actually see.> 

Releasing Kylo once more and letting him down onto his feet, the old wookie sighed. 

<Chewie can see Boy has feelings for Sunshine.>

Kylo opened his mouth to protest, but a deep growl and pointed glare from Chewbacca promptly caused him to shut his mouth.

<Feelings Boy has for Sunshine, it is real. Sunshine feel it too, know for sure. Chewbacca has seen before.....same thing with Smuggler and Princess. Thing that is beyond mate, thing that human say...is love.>   
 

Kylo’s eyes widened at Chewie’s words, his mouth agape. But he did not deny it. Scanning the landscape, lest Rey was in earshot, he sighed before responding. 

“It's not that simple Chewie, I wish it was but....I have done things. So many things I cannot take back. I don't deserve anything but disdain.” 

 

Chewies’ old eyes looked at Kylo solemnly, putting his huge paw on Kylo’s broad shoulder he patted him gently 

<But Boy admit he feel love for Sunshine?> he asked quietly. Kylo bit at his lip, unable to look at his uncle in the eye for a moment. 

   
“Yes” he answered quietly.   
 

<Then why Boy not tell Sunshine right now!> Chewie said loudly, a smile of delight on his hairy face. Kylo scoffed, his face sour.   
 

“No” he murmured unhappily. 

<Why?> Chewie countered with a growl. The muscles in Kylo’s jaw jumped as he chewed on the sudden feeling of desolation and self hatred. 

 “Because.... because I don’t deserve her. I never will” he replied sadly, finally meeting Chewies eyes with a look of broken-hearted acceptance. 

The wookie’s kind eyes shined with sorrow. Gripping Kylo’s shoulder firmly he looked deep into Kylo’s lost gaze. 

<Not about deserve Boy, who say Boy deserve nothing?>   
 

“I do.” Kylo whispered, eyes growing glassy as he fought the compulsion to cry “I am a monster, you know what I did. I cannot be loved.” 

Chewbacca let go of him then, the unspoken tragedy of what had driven them apart too close to the surface to be ignored. Exhaling loudly, Kylo blinked rapidly as he started to walk away. The agony of his many mistakes pounding in his chest becoming too much for him to bear.   
 

<No, monster gone> Chewie said suddenly, halting Kylo in his tracks. 

 

 <Chewbacca see in Boys eyes. Monster gone. With Sunshine, you become like pup Chewbacca know before. A man Chewbacca loves like own son.> 

Turning back to his hirsute friend and uncle, the tears Kylo had fought to contain suddenly found purchase and rolled down his cheeks. 

 

“How can you forgive me Chewie, I have taken so much from you?” 

 

Walking towards Kylo the old Wookie gurgled softly before answering. Placing his paws once more on his shoulders he looked down at Ben kindly. 

<Chewbacca forgive because if everyone live too long with hatred, human and wookies become exactly like people you trying to fight.>

Drawing in Kylo closer, Chewie looked deep into his eyes.

<Chewbacca forgive, because Boy is family. May fight and hurt family, but kin always, always welcome home. Boy always loved>.   
 

Kylo sniffed, breathing deeply as he tried to calm his tears. His old friend chirruped as he pulled him into a deep hug. 

<Chewbacca knows Boy is sorry. Smuggler knew too. Do not think on this anymore, will destroy you if not.> 

Releasing him again, the old wookie slapped Ben on the arm. Wanting to break the morose tension, he gave him a teasing grin as he spoke. 

<Chewbacca finish things in Falcon, go find Sunshine door so Boy not in trouble anymore. Maybe she like you more then!> 

Ben laughed in relief as he scrubbed the last of the tears away 

“Not likely, I'm always in trouble for something.” he said sardonically, turning to walk back towards the green hills that surrounded them. 

<Just like father.> Chewie said quietly with a bittersweet smile, watching Ben Solo slowly walk away, his wide gait reminiscent of another young Solo lost long ago. 

<Just like father> Chewie repeated , chuckling as he went back to the Falcon, his thoughts turning to Rey with a grin.

Ben and Rey were only just beginning he thought quietly.

So much those two half-pups had to learn!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How does everyone like zero filter uncle Chewie? Nothing like a little Chewie/Solo bromance :)  
> Should Ben address the kiss next chapter with Rey? The next installment should be about a week and will involve a change of rating for sexual content.


	4. Day 3 part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben goes for a swim, Rey tries to distract herself.  
> They flirt, they get awkward and things may get complicated!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!  
> There is sexually explicit content in this chapter, mentions of masturbation and inappropriate uses of the Force.  
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> ........
> 
> Parts of the chapter had to be reuploaded due to a formatting mistake!

Reys thundering heart had not slowed one bit as the afternoon lull arrived on Ahch-To. Chewies teasing words working their way round and round in her head until it drove her almost half mad.

Her distress was bolstered by the sudden fizzle of nervous anticipation that seemed to roll through her gut every time she seemed to think about Ben. A thin thread of unexplained, unbidden sensations pulling their way into her core, curling deep down into the recesses of her desires. Her senses were clouded by it, gut churning with an unrelenting and ever building heat. Rey’s irritation grew as her thoughts were invaded by memories and intensified feelings of times just passed. Haunted by deep, dark brown eyes that watched her with awe and wonder. Enticed by lips once turned in dour expression, now touching softly against hers with the lightest of pressures.

 

Such was the affect a brief press of Ben’s body on hers had caused. The reaction to the soft whisper of his words in her ear had stoked.

Fleeing to the temple of the Grey Jedi to avoid Ben had not turned out to be the escape Rey had craved, her mediations and attempts to connect to the Force instead offering an even stronger fastening of their bond. She could feel Ben’s dark; unsettled emotions as he wandered the island below her. His aura so clear it was as if he was a few feet away from her. Thankfully whatever task he had set himself was enough to distract him from experiencing the precarious quandary Rey was feeling at that moment. Thank the maker, that would be an embarrassment too far.

Sitting on her usual rock that overlooked the great rolling ocean’s below, she tried in earnest one last time to mediate and escape her more base human impulses.

 

Using the word’s her mentor had taught her, she gritted her teeth in determination.

" I am one with the Force, the Force is with me"

Sighing loudly, her frayed nerves not calming one bit she tried again.

" I am one with the Force, the Force is with me"

Still an unsavory ache of some unspoken emptiness pulled at her. Huffing loudly, she clenched her fists and repeated Luke’s words on last time.

" I am one with the Force, the Force is with me"

 

It was no use.

“Kriff it anyway” Rey exclaimed loudly and flopped back against the stone, her long legs dangling out off the edge. Her outburst scared several curious, warbling Porg’s in the process, their little bodies fleeing in terrified flaps.

Rey stared up at the unusually clear blue sky above, her mood sour.

She could deny this no longer, this thing she had always known. Dark and dangerous desire firing through her veins.

She had feelings for Ben Solo. Strong and very complicated feelings for Ben Solo!

And Rey at a loss of what to do next.

Watching the sea birds as they squawked above her, circling around the headland and sailing swiftly down towards the rich waters below, Rey’s thoughts drifted away on the wind. Her mind lost to ponderings of what may come next.

Tracing the flight path of some of the larger birds as she sat up, Rey’s gaze landed on the Lanai settlement down by the beach. A ghost of a smile forming on her lips as she remembered Ben’s current attire.

While much still had to processed in light of her recent acceptance of certain pertinent facts, Rey’s mind was perfectly clear. An idea forming.

Rising to her feet she entered the cave and began her descent.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the opposite of the island, in a small sheltered cove, Ben stood staring into the azure waters below. A solution to his problem finally presenting itself.

Luke’s X-Wing still remained there, shining dully under the water. From first glance it seemed still remarkably intact despite the environment it lay within. Hopefully with a few tweaks here and there, a very nice new door could be fashioned by Ben to replace the one he had so stupidly lost.

The mid-afternoon sun was warm on his back as Ben contemplated his next move, the island’s ever-present wind noticeably absent for the moment. Without the breeze the temperature was starting to soar. The calm,cool and clear waters below all at once were a welcome relief to the oppressive, humid air that had settled on Ahch-To.

Without another second thought, Ben stripped off his boots and woefully short robes to leap into the water with an excited yowl. Sinking far into the depths the change in temperature almost took his breath away. Rising again to the surface, the chill jolted him into action.The temperature was frigid and biting on his skin as goose bumps erupted on his bare chest and arms. Even so, Ben took pleasure in the water as it lapped over his pale flesh. Catching his breath, he lay on his back and floated over the small waves that drifted to the cliff side. The clarity of the water reminding him so much of the lakes of Naboo he had visited as a boy. The days he spent like this floating aimlessly in the Summer sun with his father.

A pang of grief hit him and pulled him from his reverie.

Turning onto his front, Ben dove down towards to sea bed several feet below where the X Wing lay nestled against shale floor. The ships carcass was covered here and there with algae and small eruptions of coral. The rust and age ensured it was beyond workable repair, but the machine miraculously retained enough removable metal sheets to make Rey a door.

Rising to the surface again, a satisfied smirk on his face, Ben very quickly became aware of a familiar presence watching him.

“What in the world’s do you think you are doing?” Rey’s amused clipped accent asked him, her eyes warm as she sat on the grassy bank by the cliff. Ben’s face flushed pink despite the freezing temperature of the water, a sudden flash of embarrassment filling him as he realized he would have to exit the water in front of her in nothing but a thin pair of pants. He thanked the gods they were black.

“I was just seeing if the X-Wing had anything useful left, you know for parts or anything else.” he replied sheepishly, gazing up at her.

“Your new door perhaps” he added quietly, his rashness now causing him regret. His pale skin flushing despite the freeing water. His embarrassment growing.

Quietly hoping Rey would consider leaving him to his own devices.

“You do realise that thing has been in the water at least 10 years. It's nothing more than a rust bucket” Rey smiled teasingly, making no attempt to hide her interest in his submerged torso.

“Of course, but it’s made from Coreillian steel, it’s very resilient.” Ben huffed, before slowly swimming back towards the lowest edge of the cliffs, resigned to the fact Rey was not going anywhere.

“True, but you also realize I am a scavenger by nature? If there was anything worth salvaging, don’t you think I would have found it by now.” she smirked, watching as Ben pulled himself out of the water and up the rocky cliff face. Her eyes drawn to the movement of his exposed back and shoulders, muscles rippling as they tensed and relaxed as he climbed higher. The fabric of his soaked black undershorts clung closely to the skin of his buttocks, leaving nothing to the imagination. With this observation, Rey feared her face would grow puce once he turned to face her.

“Maybe....but I thought it was worth a quick and closer look.” Ben grumbled as he scrambled up the uneven rock face to where he had left his clothes. Garments he truly wished he didn’t have to stride past her to retrieve.

"As much as I appreciate your effort, wouldn't it just have been easier to do this?" Rey teased again, leaning forward and reaching out with the Force. The old X-Wing groaned as it rose from the sea below, water rushing out of the cockpit in an audible deluge. Fish like flashes of silver flopped out and down to the safety of the water below. Rey fixed her eyes purposefully on the wrecked ship to avoid oogling Ben too blatantly as he reached the top of the cliff.

Ben scowled as he saw the mottled, salt eroded fissures in the metal work in the sunlit. Any door made from the remaining metal sheets would like be as porous as a sponge.

“Yes, that would have been a more direct way to do it” he sighed unhappily, feeling utterly idiotic for diving into the cove in the first place.

“And less wet?” Rey smiled as he approached, gently placing the X-Wing back in its place.

The corner of Ben’s mouth quirked up for a second at her question, embarrassment momentarily forgotten. Pushing the wet tendrils of his dark hair away from his face, he walked closer, sensing her appreciation of his impressive build.

“Definitely less wet...but.....much less fun” his deep voice rumbled, eyes set on her face.

“You? Actually, having fun? I don’t believe it” Rey scoffed as her eyes shined with mirth as they met his again, the sun catching the golden hue that circled her irises. Momentarily taking Ben’s breath as they burned like a fire in afternoon light. He had never seen her look so beautiful. The sight of her alone was enough to stop him in his tracks

“What can I say, I’m full of surprises?” Ben replied quietly after a beat or two, trying to hide his temporary loss of composure as he continued forward.

“Clearly” she replied with a smirk which rapidly broke into a smile.

From her seat by the bank Rey continued to beam up at him, her eyes running over the pale expanse of his chest to the toned planes of his stomach and shoulders. Gaze travelling downward to the solid, muscular lines of his thighs. She actively avoided the sodden fabric just below his navel, the material woefully inept at hiding what lay below, her awareness of his probing gaze causing her to pause such observations.

And yet, she could not help but admire his figure without thoughts for the consequences. The water from his sodden hair sending rivers of glistening, drops down his torso, making his skin shine in the sunlight.

“I would ask you to put on a cowl or something, but I know that’s a lost cause.” Rey said after a moment, her eyes glinting with flirtatious humour. Ben’s eyes crinkled as he grinned in response, leaning down closer to her with a chuckle.

“You act as if that’s a great imposition” Ben smirked, his eyes dark with something she could not quite read. Cocking her head to the side she could feel his confidence soaring, his enjoyment of this little playful tete-a-tete made obvious by the look in his eyes.

“It is, a huge imposition” Rey smiled coyly, her eyes roving over his chest once more before returning to his darkening eyes.

“Shall I go retrieve my tunic then?” he asked with mock seriousness, stepping even closer “Or can you endure this imposition a while longer while I dry?”

Biting her lip a little to avoid smirking too hard, she shrugged nonchalantly.

“Do what you must Mr Solo. I won’t object” Rey replied more huskily than intended.

Ben exhaled in a surprised scoff, his chest rising as he smirked. It was then Rey recognized the look there.

Like a predator locking in on their prey. Hungry for the chase and waiting to pounce.

Rey’s throat began to dry as that itching heat that had plagued her earlier returned. She wondered what it would feel like to reach out and place her hand on solid wall of pale flesh in front of her, to feel beat of his heartbeat under her finger tips, to taste the salt as it dried on skin. To know what his hands would feel like on her face.

Ben’s eyes narrowed in interest as he caught small, flashes of her errant thoughts of undeniable impulses and wants. Rey’s face pinked in embarrassment as she shut her mind closed in response. However, she did not look away, holding his rapt gaze with stubborn focus.

Their locked stares drawing her in closer, the Force once more surging with an unspoken energy. The air thick with a tension just on the brink of snapping.

Ben’s hands clenched in and out of fists as he fought with his better judgement, struggling against the building urge to reach out and run his fingers down her flushed cheeks. Slowly he began to raise his hand from his side with shaky, uneven breaths, his gaze drifting to her plush, part lips.

Before he could reach her, a sudden poke to his ribs interrupted the moment. A second sharp poke to his back made him hiss and turn to face the intruder in aggravation.

Looking down his scowl was met by the weary eyes of a caretaker, her mouth set in a disapproving pout as she grunted loudly. Clearly not amused by his current state of undress and crowding of Rey’s personal space.

“What?” Ben said grumpily as the nun grunted at him again, her little hand gesturing to another more pleasant looking nun behind her. The younger Lanai was almost smiling as she approached him, chirruping as she held up a large package of fabric.

“Oh” Ben said more brightly as he realised they were his missing clothes. The same earthy smell of lavender as the soap he had used the night before filled his nose. It seems they had scrubbed his garments clean at least in his absence!

 

“Thank you” he murmured softly, reaching down to retrieve the bundle from the small creature. The nun nodded and gave him a smile before waddling off back to her crabby faced friend. The older nun harrumphed, giving him a vicious side eye before walking away.

“A joy as per usual” Ben called after them sardonically, watching the strange caretakers leave over the grassy knoll of the cliff side.

Behind him Rey had risen to her feet in a flurry, the tension they had built broken. Now determined to move on from whatever had passed between for the time being. She stood a little further from him as she started to straighten her clothes after sitting for so long. Ben tried not to let his disappointment show as he turned to face her, reluctantly to let this moment disappear.

"Guess I have you to thank for these” he said warmly as he watched her brush off strands of dry grass from her tunic. Rey’s mouth quirked at his genuine gratitude.

“You could say that, I thought maybe you were tired of looking like an overgrown boy.” she teased. Kylo’s dark eyebrows rose at this provocation, scoffing as he replied.

"Overgrown boy? I thought I looked quite fetching! Maybe my calves enjoyed the breeze?”

Rey laughed audibly at the ridiculousness of his retort, crossing her arms across her chest as she shook her head at him.

“’I’m sure your calves did, but I'm not so positive your ankles felt the same.They look a little blue” she smirked.

“Really? Blue” Ben said with mock seriousness, looking down at his feet and turning them side to side “I’ve always been told I’ve had very shapely ankles.”

“You are so vain. You know that?” Rey barked in laughter again, her face breaking out into a wide smile. Ben grinned back, however his next jesting riposte quickly died in his throat.

Glancing down at the freshly washed bundle in his hands, he suddenly noticed not all was well and how it seemed.

“Wait! Why are my clothes grey?” Ben spluttered, lifting them closer up into the sunlight.

“No they’re not.” Rey giggled at his horrified expression. Ben’s wide eyes narrowed into an unhappy scowl. Thrusting his once midnight black trousers towards her to demonstrate his point, Rey had to choke back another bout of giggles as saw what he meant.

“Yes they are, my clothes are charcoal grey.” Ben growled, tossing each piece of clothing onto the rocks beside them as he examined each item. All of them discoloured and lighter in tone.

“All of them, even my spare undershorts are now grey” he huffed, rubbing at his temple to try calm his rising temper.

Rey bit her lip as tried to suppress her urge to smile.

“I did say the fish nuns are not fond of black....” she choked, trying not to laugh.

“Clearly.” Ben groused with a faint smile as he finally looked at her amused face “I guess it could be worse” he added grumpily. Leaning down to pick up his clothes from the rocks he quietly cursed under his breath.

_"For kriffs sake...."_

Rey sniggered again before catching herself.

“Sorry” she muttered as Ben shot her a look of mild disdain.

A deep rumble erupted from Rey's stomach as if on cue.

As much as she was enjoyed teasing him, other pressing matters now needed attending to.

“I’m going to go make some fish stew if you're hungry” Rey sighed, picking up the small bag of wild herbs she had picked earlier. Beside her Ben shrugged non-committedly, his lip still turned down in grimace.

“Maybe come join me whenever you're done sulking over your clothes.” she innocently, aware she was goading Ben mercilessly.

“I am not sulking” Ben huffed with a frown, glaring at her.

“Really? Because as much as scowling is your expression of choice” Rey replied with a laugh, reaching up and squishing his face affectionately for a brief second “this sour pout tells otherwise.”

“Funny. My sides are splitting.” Ben replied dryly. Rey shrugged at him as she stepped away, eyes never leaving his face as it relaxed slowly back into a soft grin.

“What can I say, I live to please.” she replied archly, turning fully to walk up the hillside back to their huts.

“Clearly” Ben called after her playfully “In all aspects of life I presume?”

Taken aback his quick turn off face, Rey paused on her ascent and smirked back at him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know...” she replied huskily.

“Maybe one day I will” Ben answered darkly, causing Rey’s cheeks to pink somewhat at the implication. Shaking herself free of her unfortunate instance of fluster, she gave him a broad smile.

“See you later Solo. Try not to lose anymore clothes before I see you next.” she teased, starting her retreat once more.

He grunted in reply. Rolling his eyes at her childish jibe, he smirked once more with a distinct sense of quiet swagger.

“And deny you the chance to stare at my chest? Never.”

Rey paused again, turning on her heal with an audible scoff.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me” Ben said evenly, his dark eyes lit with amusement “I know you liked it.”

Rey scoffed again, shaking her head in disbelief

“You certainly have a very high opinion of yourself Supreme Leader.”

Grinning to himself, he folded his eyes immense arms across his chest as he shrugged nonchalantly.

“Only calling it as I see it Scavenger.”

Rey rolled her eyes at him.

“You're delusional. I was not staring.” she grumbled.

“Keep telling yourself that scavenger and maybe one day you'll believe it.” Ben laughed, enjoying her annoyance more than he cared to admit.

“You are impossible....” Rey groaned, turning and stamping up the hill again with aplomb.

“Just admit it Rey...” Ben taunted as she marched up and almost out of sight.

“Goodbye Ben.” Rey shouted back huffily, her lithe form quickly disappearing behind the verdant, long grass above.

 

Laughing to himself Ben flopped down on the cliff side once she was gone, watching the sea birds as they flew overhead. Replaying their conversation over and over in his head, the good-natured and often flirtatious teasing entertained him to no end. He lay against the soft sea grass as the warm sun slowly dried his pale skin.His heart and spirit the lightest they had felt in years. His body buzzing with anticipation and delight.

Because now he knew. Without a single doubt he knew.

Chewie had been right. Truth be told Ben had known it all along. He wanted Rey more than he wanted anything in his entire life.

And it seemed she may reciprocate his feelings in some small way too.

That thought alone made his heart race, his thoughts running back over the interaction they had just had. How her eyes had run over his body with quiet, pleased appraisal. His form had not been found wanting but instead admired as an object of beauty. When they had locked eyes again, the heat he found in her gaze had made things inside him tighten and pulse with fire. How much he wanted to touch her at that moment, to taste her mouth again.

Closing his eyes, he focused on the feeling of her lips on his. On that brief heady rush of excitement it had brought for him despite its brevity.

 

Dreams he'd locked away in the deepest recesses of his subconscious all at once emerged to the surface. Images of wanton acts and sordid touches, lips connecting with her skin, trailing the lascivious path downward to her most sacred place. To the aching centre of her he would worship for the rest of his life

God's did he want her.

 

Ben's musings were swiftly interrupted by his own body's reaction to such reminiscing. His once flaccid cock, rising up in his undershorts. Straining up and outwards against the stretchy material as it grew hard and hot against his skin.

“Great” he huffed in irritation, his sudden erection adding further dissatisfaction to the situation.

Overhead a Northern squall decided at the moment to appear and empty its contents on the perturbed, frustrated boy.

“Even better” Ben exclaimed with an angry growled, leaping to his feet as the rain began to pelt his skin. Looking around frantically, he sought a place to shelter until the worst had passed.

Spying a small, shallow cave not far from him, he quickly gathered his clothes and boots to race from the downpour.

Exhaling loudly as he reached the cave, he was displeased to find his hair and body had been quickly soaked again. Shaking his hair like a sodden wookie, he tried to displace as much of the water as possible. Shivering as rivers of water rolled down his bare back.

“Great, just great” he growled through gritted teeth, torrential rain rushing passed the cave entrance as he shook head again free of water. Examining his clothes, he was relieved to see they had been spared most of the rain, his large frame had shielding the garments from the worst of the storm.

Leaning back against the rocky cave wall he slowly slid down to sit on large, flat boulder. Laying his clothes down beside him he watched the rain rush by outside, the endless grey lit here and there by distant lightening.

 

Closing his eyes, he sighed loudly, trembling slightly in the cool, dryness of the sheltered cave.

“What now?” he mumbled boredly to no one in particular.

Looking down again, he was met once more by the turgid sight of his persistent erection. Uncomfortably hot and throbbing in the black confines of his shorts.

“Kriff” he sighed in aggravation.

Ben decided it was best to try an ignore it until the worst passed. Trying in earnest to think of something, anything at all, to make it go down. No innocent images or thoughts successful in holding his attentions long enough.

“Dead Porgs, dead Porgs, dead Porgs....dead P..or...oh forget it” he grunted in defeat as his treacherous thoughts returned to the one thing he wanted to avoid.

Rey.

There was only one solution it seemed.

Slowly and tentatively he lowered his hand to thigh, fingers softly traced a line along the hard outline of his throbbing cock. He shivered again, this time the cold no longer a concern as his cock twitched in response. Running his palm lightly against it again he exhaled heavily, a small whisper of pleasure filling him. He stroked himself a few more times, each touch eliciting a feeling that grew more and more intense. Ben had not taken himself in hand since he had been a padawan, the long- forgotten sensation a welcome relief after years of denial.

Breathing deeply, Ben raised his hand and gently slipped it under the waistband of his shorts. Fingertips grasping at the silky, hot skin of his hardening erection. Now skin to skin and aided by the dampness of his palms, he exhaled haltingly as his strokes grew longer and more purposeful. His arousal increasing as his thoughts turned back to Rey.

His head fell back against the rocky wall of the cave as he imagined her there in front of him, bared fully and aching beautiful. Touching herself as he touched himself, eyes dark and full of desirous promise.

Ben thought of how he would touch her, feel her skin with his mouth and hands. To kiss and bite and claim all the paths to pleasure she would give him. To have her tremble as he explored and discovered all that places that would make her moan and swear to be his and no one elses. He would make her call his name like a broken prayer in the night, a promise to never be alone again. He would know what it was to bury himself under her skin, to feel her breath on his lips as he gave that little death of release. He would lose himself in it.

Ben had never actually done such things to a woman before. His lust filled fantasies fueled by solely by illicit holos he had found, stories his Knights had told him and what little he knew of pleasing women. Han Solo had been a fairly inconsistent father in a lot of ways, but the one thing he had instilled in his young son since puberty was a woman’s pleasure was worth more than all the credits in the universe. And even with all of his inexperience, Ben knew this to be true.

Not that he had ever seen a naked woman in the flesh let alone touched one!

But Ben was certain he would die a thousand deaths just to kiss Rey once again.

As his fantasies grew more explicit, Ben’s strokes became faster and his grip tighter. His breathing erratic as he started to chase his sweet, blissful finish.

High above him and sheltered in their shared hut, Rey sat down abruptly on her bed. The gently simmering stew abandoned over the fire as the embers of something altogether different burned in her gut. Suddenly feeling flushed and almost faint, Rey stripped off her cloak and tried to steady her breathing. A rippling ache of unexplained pleasure rolling up her abdomen from her core. The tightening of something deep within her, making her tense and moan without control . The ghostly feeling of hands on her that were not her own through the Force. Sensations focusing in places she did not know could feel so good. Running her hands over chest and onto her breasts she sought some sort of relief, her nipples hard and sensitive to the pressure her hands brought.

Back in the cave, Ben felt the tingle of unseen fingertips skimming down his chest as if they were his own. In the back of his conscious he became aware of the bond slowly cracking open with each sensation, too blissed out by the added stimulus to care.

Rey’s ministrations slowed as her eyes widened, a shadowy figure beginning to form in the darkest corner of the hut. His outline unmistakable and familiar. Ben’s immense, pale body bare and hunched over as he rocked gently back and forth. Eyes closed and head bent forward as he was lost in the hedonism of his pleasure. Rey’s heart stuttered as she realized what was happening, Ben’s building arousal flowing down the strengthening bond and reflecting into her with an unbearable intensity. His desire surging and rolling into her as if he was touching her himself. Her faced flushing even more as she watched his huge hands move faster and faster over his straining his cock. She knew it was wrong to watch and yet she was enraptured.

As he drew closer to his climax, Ben’s mind opened like a holo film, displaying every illicit thought he had for her like a raging river. Spilling every sordid fantasy to Rey his mind flitted to.

Rey gasped loudly, her chest and face the colour of puce as his climax pushed her over the edge. Moaning as a feeling of release and elation ripped through the bond, the force of it so strong her vision clouded for a moment.

Ben gasped in horror and jumped to his feet as he finally saw her there in front of him, ejaculate cooling on his chest and arm as he fought to regain his breath. Rey’s chest was also heaving as she stared at him, eyes confused but dark with something hungry and uncontrolled. Rey’s lips were red and swollen, bite marks evident from her efforts to suppress the inevitable. She had seen and felt everything.

Ben saw her breath hitch again as her eyes drifted down, her gaze fixed on something just in front of her. It was then he realized his undershorts were down by his thighs and she could still see everything.

Turning swiftly and pulling his shorts up, he tries in vain to regain his dignity but he knew it was too late. He couldn’t find the words to explain, his embarrassment building by the nanosecond. The silence stretches on and still the bond remained open.

Rey abruptly snorted in embarrassed awkwardness and Ben’s embarrassment quickly turned to rage. How dare she intrude upon his privacy and then mock him!

"Don't you dare laugh at me. Do you enjoy being cruel?" he spat at her bitterly, turning his head to glare at her.

“Ben... it wasn’t like that..” Rey began, her brows pinched in confused hurt.

“Don’t....” he roared once more, his hands clenching into fists.

“Ben...” Rey tried again, rising to her feet.

Before she could place a hand on his shoulder or utter a word of apology, he abruptly turned and shrugged her off before she could touch him.

“Don’t follow me” he growled threateningly and strode out of the cave in a flurry of rage and shame. The bond snapping shut in an instant. All at once she is back in the hut alone, the long-forgotten fish stew bubbling angrily in her lone cooking pot on the fire.

Slumping back on the bed, she threw her arm over face in frustration.

Well that was a disaster.

* * *

 

Rey contemplated going to find him, his anger burning through the Force like a wildfire in summer. Consuming everything in its way. However, after she debated the merits of reasoning with him in this state of destruction, she decided to leave him be. Rey had waited 3 years for him to come back to her, she could wait a few more hours for his anger to burn away.

In time his tumultuous emotions calmed, his anger dimming from an inferno to a flickering ember. And yet, he did not return. The afternoon’s warmth had long gone, the sky a dark pink as Rey’s impatience got the better of her. Ben had been gone almost a fifth of a day cycle at this stage. Now she was mad too. Throwing on her cloak once more, Rey made her way back down the steep stone steps towards the Falcon. It was the last place she had gotten a clear read of his Force signature.

Hidden on the opposite side of the slope, close to her vegetable garden, Ben lay watching Rey leave. A slight pang of guilt filling his gut for shielding his aura from her, but he was not yet ready to face the inevitable questions she would want from him.

Reaching the Falcon, Rey knew immediately it had been a wasted journey. Ben was long gone.

Chewbacca grunted in surprise as he spotted her at the base of top of the cargo stairs.

 

<Sunshine? Need Chewbacca for something?> he gurgled, already knowing why she was here.

“No...I was looking for Ben. Sorry for disturbing your time alone” she muttered unhappily.

<Boy left time ago, not return to huts?> Chewie asked kindly.

"No" Rey exhaled loudly, not even trying to hide her annoyance.

<Chewbacca sure he turn up. Boy is contrary pup . Always has been.> Chewie grunted again with amusement.

"You can say that again" Rey smirked.

<Something happen? Sunshine seem concerned> Chewbacca laughed, a knowing look in his eyes.

 For he was certain something had happened. Ben had returned to the Falcon with a face like thunder and an attitude to match. He and Chewbacca had silently worked on the comms system and neglected sanitation system until Ben had abruptly said he was tired and left. Something had definitely driven his bad temper.

" No....I.. I'm just curious" Rey answered carefully a slight color rising on her cheeks.

<Sunshine always curious about Boy> the Wookie teased in reply

 <Boy curious about Sunshine too>

"It's not like that " Rey laughed, her blush deepening.

<Boy says same, but Chewbacca think different, has eyes. Chewbacca sees everything> the Wookie smiled.

" I don't know what you're talking about..." She mumbled with a smirk.

< Maybe not yet, but Sunshine will soon. Sunshine will very soon> Chewie said confidently.

" You're a silly old Wookie" Rey teased gently, her eyes shining with mirth. Embracing him warmly she nestled her head against his soft chest, his silky fur brushing her cheeks gently.

<And Sunshine cheeky dunderhead pup. But like you Chewbacca does a little>

He smiled, patting her back softly as he hugged her back.

"Just like? Are you sure? " Rey joked.

The Wookie grunted with reluctant amusement.

<Fine, Chewbacca may love Sunshine little bit>

“Just a bit?” Rey asked with a smile, patting his back in mock encouragement.

<Okay maybe love lots> Chewie sighed tiredly like a weary father.

"Was that so hard?" Rey laughed releasing him as he chirruped and rolled his eyes.

<Very. Now stop annoying Chewbacca. Go find idiot Boy before he makes bigger mess>

Rey smiled again, but did not argue. Craning her neck, she reached up and gave the old Wookie a kiss on his hairy check.

“See you tomorrow Chewie” she said happily as she walked out of the old, reliable freighter with a smile.

 

* * *

The sky was an inky black lit here and there by distant stars by the time Rey reached the huts again. A quick search of the island had not been fruitful and now her tiredness had gotten the best of her. Reaching her hut, she saw from the darkened windows the fire had not been lit again. She did on the other hand notice the temporary boulder that had served as her door had been replaced by a door of weather bleached drift wood, lashed together from strips of what looks like Ben’s once beautiful cowl. A smile found her cheeks as she realized he had made it for her, destroyed something of his own just to keep his promise. Pulling open the door with enthusiasm, her heart sank as she found the hut empty and almost exactly as she had left it.

Except.

Ben’s sabre was gone.

As was the bowl of stew she had saved for him.

A light flickered weakly behind her, the remains of another fire dying in one of the smaller huts catching her attention.

Turning she followed the light to the hut, the same one she had used on her first trip to Ahch-To all those moons ago. Standing outside with trepidation, Rey paused close to the threshold. Though Ben’s message of wanting to be left alone had been made crystal clear, Rey still wanted to thank him for the door.

However, as she reached the simple cloth curtain, she heard his voice loud and clear.

“Go away. Please. I don’t want to see you.” Ben growled softly in the dark.

Rey stood by the hut in shocked hurt, not expecting him to be so cruel. Anger boiled over in her head as her hand hovered over scratchy material of the curtain. She almost had want to march in there and give him a piece of her mind.

“Go! “Ben said more aggressively, pushing her away from hut less than gently using the Force. Rey almost stumbled as she rebalanced after his push.

Choking back her bitter tears, she gulped heavily and softly walked back to her hut. Her heart heavy and pride bruised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Preview for the next chapter....things may get steamier.  
> The Falcon may get some guests and Rey/Kylo's passions will start as arguments but may evolve into something more constructive.
> 
> Plot line has been written for the next chapter so hopefully there will be less of a gap for the next installment.


	5. Day 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben fight, Rey and Ben make up and then Chewie is the ultimate wingman :)

The sun was starting to rise high into the typically grey  Ahch -To sky when Rey finally roused from her slumber. 

A fitful night of sleep had attributed to her later than usual awakening that morning, her mouth tacky and foul tasting as she finally came around to full consciousness. The nightmares that had haunted her for years had returned last night again with a vengeance. Visions of terrible times gone by  and of  memories  that haunted her still. Her little body running  terrified from rancid smelling captors, avoiding beatings that turned her  thin  legs and arms black and blue. Never quite outrunning the inevitable wheezing mass of cruelty that would catch her despite her best efforts. The dreams replaying nights spent cold and alone, aching for someone, anyone to save her from the endless monotony and loneliness of years lost in  Jakku .

Ben’s rejection of her company last night and the lingering darkness of his shame and anger churning the Force around her, had opened up the cracks in her armor. Letting the desolation and pain of the past seep into every available crevice like a plague. Dimming her light until all she felt was the numbing grey of apathy. 

Ben had been wrong about many  things,  but when it came to  dealing with the past, his words still  resonated  with her.

The past had to die.

Rubbing her eyes wearily, she willed her tired body out of the warm cocoon of her bed to start her day, hopeful  she would  catch up on the hours she had lost of daylight.

Blinking rapidly as she stepped out into the harsh late morning light after some time, Rey was annoyed to find Ben’s hut empty.  His fire long extinguished .

Clearly,  he was still  adamant  about keeping his distance from her, not even having the manners to wake her when he knew she’d slept in.

_ “ _ _ Bantha _ __ _ poodoo _ __ _ “  _ Rey  muttered to herself grumpily. She’d had enough  of Ben Solo for the day already!

* * *

 

Sitting in the cockpit of his Silencer, Ben was almost completely unaware of Rey’s building rage, to o  engrossed in his task at hand to sense the darkening specter in the Force heading toward him.

Switching between the comms lines in his ship, his brow was furrowed in deep concentration as he tried to find the correct frequency. The First Order leadership as always changing their internal lines to avoid detection by the Resistance. Twisting the dials in seemingly random combinations, Ben finally found a useful and somewhat informative broadcast.

After a second, Ben’s  curiosity  was piqued, immediately  recognizing  the repeating code of the emergency broadcasting message.

_ **“Order 1138 has been enacted. If this message is received, all ground forces and personnel are to return to their designated evac zone. Immediate retreat has ordered by 0600 tomorrow standard Galactic time** _ **_..... _ ** **_ Heavy losses have been reported in  _ ** **_ Outer _ ** **_  Rim, Median system and  _ ** **_ Tu’ekal _ ** **_  systems. Order 1138 has been enacted. If this message _ ** **_  is received _ ** **_ , all ground forces and personnel are to return to their designated  _ ** **_ evac _ ** **__ ** **_ zone. _ ** **_  Immediate retreat has ordered by 0600 tomorrow....Heavy losses...”  _ **

Turning the dial again, Ben’s console picked up another weaker broadcast, the static interference telling him it was an unsophisticated, rogue message. The rough tongue of  Huttese  just about audible as the  messenger  spoke.

The  Resistance  it seemed had finally pushed the First Order back far enough to rouse the clans in the Outer Rim to join in the rebellion. The speaker told of a regime in disarray, totally without direction in the abdication and disappearance of Supreme Leader  Kylo  Ren. A final blow that had broken their claim to dominance.

Ben chuckled to himself softly at the irony. General Hux had always insisted  Kylo  had been nothing but a drain upon their goals and ambitions. Now without him, no one in the Galaxy feared retribution at their hands.

With the regimes imminent collapse, Ben felt more hopeful for the future then he had in years. Perhaps his life could expand beyond the small confines of  Ahch -To once things were over.  The thought of leaving to start again with Rey caused his stomach to lurch pleasantly, a future where the past could be forgotten and he could truly be Ben Solo again. A bittersweet notion he very much wished to pursue.

A sudden sizzle of frying circuits interrupted his  musings , the damp, salt laden environment of the island playing havoc with  its  central console, overheating the delicate wiring  with no mercy .

“Damn it” Ben sighed, slamming his fist again the flickering screen with  frustratio n. The unit crackled before going blank, the comms system giving in against the unrepentant damp.

Growling loudly, he reached around the cockpit to see if he could find anything to fix it, but came up  short . 

“Great, guess I’ll have to do this the  old-fashioned  way” he grumbled to himself.

* * *

 

Rey’s anger was starting to crest as she strode down to the rocky  plateau  that held the Silencer, her feet stamping against the granite with gusto.

Her temper almost abated for a split second as she screeched to a halt in front of the TIE fighter, the sight of  a  grease covered Ben shocking her for a moment.  Looking at him with a gaping mouth, Rey’s face flushing at the sight of his exposed, muscular shoulder as she was struck dumb. His normally long-sleeved black shirt swapped for a sleeveless vest which showed off his  oil smeared , but impressive arms. He was similarly stilled by her presence, the wrench in his great hands hanging loose by his side as he tried not to let his panic show.

 Shaking herself free first, Rey’s scowl returned.

“ You've been avoiding me"  She stated huffily.

"I have, how astute of you to notice."  Ben replied dryly, his blank face and tone giving nothing away.

“Why?” she shot back with a pout.

Ben shrugged, before turning back to the exposed panel at the front of the Silencer.

“I just was”  he  replied passively, working his hands into the cavity that lead to the comms fuse board.

“That seems like a really mature way to deal with problems” Rey spat back at him bitterly.

Ben just harrumphed in reply, pulling dead wires away from the damaged machinery.

Rey was about to send another razor laden retort his way, before being stalled by the growing feeling of unease as it rolled off Ben’s distracted subconscious. His shame and unending feelings of humiliation the cause of his continued bad temper. Rey paused and decided to _attempt_ to be  bigger  person.

"Ben....you know there's nothing to be embarrassed about.... yesterday, what happened  wasn't.. "  She  began awkwardly, her face pinking slightly at the memory.

Ben's head rose abruptly from the Silencer  in surprise at her words , a stricken look on his face. His usually pale complexion flushing as he caught  flickering's of memory in  her thoughts.

"Rey, don't" he gulped in reply. His companion unfortunately ignored his request entirely , instead drawing a deep breath and surging on despite both their discomfort .

" Look we both know that, we're adults and sometimes adults have needs and...'

" Rey!" Ben exclaimed, his cheeks beginning to burn.

"And so what if I saw your ..... " Rey paused, glancing down  towards his waist  for a second, her words failing her as her own embarrassment took hold .

 "your...your"  Rey stuttered, whipping her eyes away from below his belt as she  realized  her mistake.

Her gaze wandered, purposefully avoiding Ben’s irate and flustered expression now her own composure was slipping.

"Penis?" Ben growled angrily.

"Yeah that!" Rey nodded, her voice high and tight as  continued  she avoided his increasingly unamused eyes. Ben's  jaw tightened as tried to remove the image of her laughing in his face, the  dawning  of  just  what she’d witnessed out from his mind. And failing miserably.

"You saw a whole more than that and that's the damn problem" Ben growled, turning his back on her.

“I know and I’m sorry that I laughed. It was all... a little overwhelming” Rey said apologetically.

“Overwhelming? You try having your private thoughts broadcast and see what you find overwhelming” Ben spat back.

"Be  t hat as it may, I can't control when the Force connects us or how." Rey retorted "so please stop punishing me for something I didn't even mean to do!."

Ben sighed, internally  conceding  she was right. He couldn't hold it against her and  truthfully  he never  really  had .  With this concession, he  felt a little guilty for pushing her away the night before.

"You still could have warned me"  Ben  grumbled, his anger subsiding a little.

"Believe me, if could have found the words to do so, I would have" Rey laughed "I was a little taken aback"

Ben groaned, his hands stilling once more.   


"Please can we never speak of this again."   


Rey bit her lip to prevent an awkward giggle escaping her mouth.

"Sure, but I'm not sure I'll ever forget the..."

"Rey!" Ben huffed loudly, a look of warning in his eyes as he glanced back "drop it!"   


Rey smirked as she nodded in response, graciously shutting her mouth to put the matter to bed for the time being. His embarrassment so profound there was no way of broaching anything further today.

“You really don’t want to talk about it?” Rey  teased , a hint of  playfulness  in her voice.

“Yep, so if you could just move along and stop driving me crazy, that would be great.” Ben said sourly, looking back at her with something very akin to contempt “I’m busy”.

Rey scoffed loudly at him, incredulous to his  sudden return to  rudeness.

“Busy? Destroying your own ship ,  it seems.”

Ben grunted again, returning to his repair  without another word . His big hands clunking awkwardly around the fighter’s innards  with increasing volume . He cursed under his breath as Rey snorted at his efforts, his lack of mechanical finesse exposed by the excessive bangs his uncoordinated movements caused.

“Do you even know what you are doing?” Rey sighed  with something akin to condescension in her voice , arms crossed across her chest as she observed his ham-fisted attempts to repair the radio.

“Of course, I do. I’m not an idiot!” Ben bristled back.

“Could have fooled me” Rey muttered  sarcastically . Scowling at her, his lips pursued with growing annoyance. Shooting her another withering look, he turned to face her fully.

“As if you could do any better scavenger!” he huffed.

“Move over you big oaf and I’ll show you!” Rey hissed back, striding over and using the Force to pull his wrench from his hand. Ben’s eyes darkened in frustration as he glowered at her challenge.

Stepping aside with a dramatic, mocking bow, his teeth were gritted as he growled his retort.

“Be my guest, sweetheart!” 

Rolling her eyes at him and shaking her head, Rey quick assessed the machine in front of her.

Eyes narrowed in concentration, Rey traced every pathway as Ben watched her with feigned boredom. 

Unable to resist the urge to taunt her temper further. However, for the moment his antagonist's attention was taken elsewhere.

Rey’s face brightened instantly as she found what she was looking for.

“Ah ha! You reconnected the alternating line and decoder upside down! The power circuit has been interrupted.”

She grinned triumphantly at him as Ben’s bored scowl fell momentarily into embarrassment.  Ears reddening under the thick mane of his hair.  Unhappy she had  found the solution so easily.

“Never send a padawan to do a masters job” Rey teased as she swiftly disconnected the mis-aligned wires. Ben  scoffed in reply, his arms crossing across his chest as his jaw chewed silently on his discontent.

Rey smiled to herself as she set about correcting the mistake.

After a few moments the radio abruptly sprung back into life.

The crackling sound of animated  Huttese  flooding the now silent plateau as Rey's intended follow up boast died in her throat. The guttural twists of foreign words and hurried phrases unfolding the developing story in the systems beyond their own. The reality of what was happening beginning to dawn. 

Her eyes grew wide in disbelief as she listened, mouth agape as she moved closer to the joy filled messages. 

Rey's brow furrowed as she tried to digest what was happening. Her movements were swift and desperate as Ben watched her leap into the cockpit without a word. His face impassive and eyes knowing, already anticipating what she was about to do.

Switching the audio feed, instinct and Ben's uninhibited mind giving her the numerical combinations she needed, the cold, calculated voice of General Bolla gave Rey the answer she already knew and so desperately craved.

**_ “ _ ** **_ Immediate retreat has ordered by 0600 tomorrow _ ** **_..... _ ** **_ Heavy losses have been reported in Outer Rim, Median system and  _ ** **_ Tu’ekal _ ** **_  systems. Order 1138 has been enacted. If this message is received, all ground forces and personnel are to return to their designated evac zone. Immediate retreat has ordered by 0600 tomorrow _ ** **_....Heavy _ **  ...

" Oh  my gods, they've done it" Rey whispered softly to no one but herself.  The confirmation of all her hopes finally becoming true.

She fell back into the pilot's chair after a moment, her chest heaving and eyes closing in relief. A soft smile spreading to replace the confusion and anxiety from before. Her eyes met Ben's  dark stare  as she opened them again , unable to stop herself  laugh ing  in delight despite his indifferent expression. The grey apathy of  earlier  lifting until her essence shone like gold.

“It’s almost over Ben” she smiled.

“I know” he replied softly, his face remaining a mask as he looked back at her. Rey leaned forward as she sighed tiredly.

" I know you technically never officially abdicated Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, but you could look a little happier. The First Order is crumbling, the Outer Rim is free and the rest is sure to follow." Rey smiled; her teeth brilliantly white against the dark interior of his fighter.   


Ben shrugged nonchalantly, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly in a ghost of smile. Unable to resist her exuberance to the news.   


"Cmon.... you know this is good. Think of the future the Galaxy has...the future we can all have" Rey laughed again, leaping out of the Silencer with practiced grace. She tilted her head to try and catch his eye, still beaming at the news. Ben smirked at her antics before rolling his eyes and sighing loudly in defeat.   


"Fine, it's good. Personally, I can't wait to get off this  G od ’ s forsaken rock once the coasts clear." He replied with a half grin. Rey froze as he said this, her smile faltering.

Ben watched as Rey's easy expression fractured into a look of panic at his words. The panic swiftly shifted into a wounded confusion and anger.

"You want to leave?" Rey asked coldly.

 It was Bens turn to look confused, her sudden change in  mood  a mystery to him.

"Of course, why would I stay here any longer than I have to" he replied huffily.

Rey's jaw clenched as her eyes narrowed.

“I needed to escape where no one would find me, but now, the danger is passing.”  he added, his brows scrunched up in bewilderment as he tried to understand her uncharacteristic aloofness.

"I see." She said frostily " so there's nothing here that could convince you to stay?"

Ben's confusion increased tenfold as Rey became more and more incensed.

"Well no. .... for  one the caretakers hate me and... it's not exactly.... appealing being here" he said bluntly.

"So  Ahch -To has no redeeming factors?" Rey laughed bitterly, her cheeks flushing as her anger grew.

Ben blinked at her helplessly. Rey glowered at him, her jaw clenching as she fought the urge to explode in anger.

“I. ..well ...” he blustered.

“Yesterday you told me you were not going anywhere . You said  there was nowhere else you wanted to be” Rey said with venom “was that a lie?”

Ben gaped at her, unab l e to find the words to reply.  His mind in overdrive as to where exactly he’d made his current misstep with her.

“Fine, leave! Don’t let  me  stop you....Go.”

Rey started to walk away from him, her eyes starting to glass over as tears of rage began to well up.

The dejection at being left alone  once more ,  of being  abandoned by someone she cared so deeply  about , was a pain she could not bear. 

It was then the cogs began to whirr in Ben’s mind, horror spreading through his  chest  as he  realised  just what he’d done. 

He  race d  after her, sensing his mistake and her obvious hurt. He  had never meant to leave her here alone, to  ever leave her behind.

“Rey...Rey please slow down.”

The irate, once Jedi strode on, her cheeks now stained either side by a cascade of tears.

Ben continued to follow  close  behind like a kicked puppy, desperate to seek forgiveness.

“Rey,  I  didn’t mean I’d leave  right  away....I wasn’t....”

“Why delay the inevitable Ben? Just go.  While you still can.” Rey spat back bitterly.

“Rey!” Ben barked in frustration, quickening his pace and gr asping her hand. 

Pulling her towards him, it forced her to look back at him and see his clear remorse. 

“Just please listen....”

She glared at him with fire, ripping her hand away from his with a snarl. Yet  despite her anger , she remained in place. Not moving an inch , suppressing  her instinct to run.

“Dammit, I want you to come with me” Ben huffed loudly, his dark eyes pleading with her. Rey’s glare softened a little but she remained hostile towards his attempts to placate her anger.

“What if I refuse? What if I don’t want to leave?”

“Then....I don’t . ..I don’t know what to say ” Ben sighed unhappily, his gaze dropping to his boots.

“Well, I guess the decision ’ s made then.” Rey replied harshly. Turning on her heel she attempted to walk away from him again. Ben didn’t try stall her this time, but instead felt a rejection of his own at her answer.

“Why?” Ben asked dejectedly  after a long moment  “Why won’t you leave  with me ?”

Twisting back to face him, exhaling loudly with  resignation .

“Because, this place is the closest I’ve ever come to having a home. ”  Rey said sadly, fixing him a hard glare  as if to  dar e  him to try force her hand again. 

Because his anger at her stubbornness she could handle, but his compassion, his compassion was not so easily  ignored .

“This  island  was the first place I have  ever  had to call my own, a domain no one can take away from me”

Ben’s eyes softened in understanding. Taking a step forward he took a deep breath, hoping he could make her see.

“You can have that again, I promise you ....we  could find you  somew ...” Ben began.

“No! No, we won’t. Here....I have everything I need” Rey interrupted firmly ,  her mouth set in a defiant line.

“ If that were true, y ou wouldn’t have called me here .  If you had everything you needed, you wouldn’t have let me in. ” Ben said softly, walking up the hill towards her.

“I was lonely, I made a mistake” Rey replied haughtily.

“Oh...did you?” Ben said with a slight chuckle, calling her bluff “I take it Chewie wasn’t stimulating conversation enough for you? Or was it something else you needed?”

“Why’d you even come Ben?” Rey replied bitterly, avoiding his question.

“Same reason you called me here Rey.” he said truthfully, edging closer to her. The slope in the hill reducing Ben’s usual height advantage to mere centimet er s. 

“You know nothing” Rey  whispered harshly, her mouth trembling as she spoke.

" No? Because you do know Rey ,  you've always known.” Ben said quietly, his dark eyes boring into hers as he spoke.

“There's a reason we dream of each other, a reason the Forces keeps connecting us, a reason....we cannot deny anymore."

Reaching down, his hand found hers, fingers ghosting over her open palm. Not fully daring to capture her hand in his.

Rey's gaze softened at his touch, blinking rapidly as he edged forward to stand eye to eye with her. Swallowing visibly, Ben fought the urge to reach out and touch her cheek, to wipe away the deep ripple of tears that marred her face. 

"Then why leave, why is it not enough for you?" Rey whispered sadly. Pressing even closer, so close  Ben  could feel the warm, short bursts of breath as  Rey  fought to contain her emotions,  he  looked deep into her eyes.

Knowing if things were different, he would be unable to stop himself from closing the small distance between their lips. To kiss that which he wished for so badly, it drove him mad.

"I will not stay here and shut myself off from the universe like Luke. I will not let myself rot my years away on this desolate place." He murmured quietly, his eyes drifting from her sad hazel eyes to the plush downward turn of her mouth.

"I don't want to leave you behind Rey, please don't make me." He begged.

Reys face crumpled at his answer, her hands curling in and out of fists. Stepping away from him, her eyes grew stormy.

"Glad to know where I stand with you" she sp a t back bitterly "just go, run away....it's what you're good at!"

 Ben felt as if he'd been slapped as he watched her  stalk offer towards the stone steps to the temple . His temper r ising  into a fever.

"You left me too once, remember ..... So  don't lecture me on  running away Rey ...you left me to die in the throne room " He  exploded  at her. Rey whipped around, her mouth agape 

" No  I didn't" she hissed.

"Yes!  Yes  you did" he replied coldly.

"You gave me no choice. This is different. You still have one."

"This is not a choice. Wasting what remains of my days, scrapping by on fish guts and measly, blight ridden crops is not my idea of a life worth living!"  He exploded, beyond frustration at her lack of understanding.

Reys face crumpled at the barb, his cruel criticism of her hard work and determination cutting her deep. She would not stand for such an  insult ;  however trivial they may have appeared.

She had worked too hard to make a reasonable life here.

"Well I guess this is goodbye then Ben...because I am never leaving"

" Rey.. " Ben began, realization dawning on his face as his words turned in his mind, their meaning twisting into something hurtful he never intended.

It was too late.  

"Leave. Just go... " She sobbed, throwing her full weight into a sudden swift and vicious shove to his chest. Her ferocity took him by surprise, his balance lost as Ben caught his foot on an exposed tree root. Tumbling to the ground with a grunt, Rey gave him one last dejected look before striding out of sight.   


Ben lay winded on the ground as she left, a panic overcoming him .   


" Rey..?" Ben called again, his voice trembling as he scrambled back to his feet, knowing she would never listen now. 

Nothing but the wind answered him, a soft howl as the biting breeze whipped up his unruly hair.

**_ [Rey?]  _ ** he tried reaching through the Force to reason with  her, but  her mind was an impenetrable, stone wall of silence.

Ben's simmering temper could take it no longer. The anger once raised at Rey was now directed at his own selfish folly.  A fiery rage spreading through his core until it made the air around him shake with male v olent intent. An old familiar cloud of icy  darkness  surrounding him and shrouding his last defense of self-control  against its violence .

Reaching out with the Force, his murderous grip tightened on the first thing his hands could lay themselves on. Tearing  it  asunder at the seams, ripping and crushing until the fire cooled to a solitary ember.

Ben's own rage filled roar rang in his ears like a roll of thunder as his senses finally came back to him. A cacophony of groaning, tearing metal and shattering glass, interrupting the stillness that surrounded him.

Ben's breath stuttered as his gut lurched at what he'd done.

In front of him, scarred and almost unrecognizable, the brunt of his anger lay in abject ruin. The Silencers port side wing torn in half and embedded in the ruined cockpit, glass shattered into a thousand pieces on the rocks below.

He wouldn’t be going anywhere, anytime soon. That was clear now.   


On the top of the hill Rey stood stock still watching the scene, her mouth agog in disbelief.  Replaying the scene over and over again, her mind took a moment to reboot. Recovering before Ben could reach too far into her mind, she muttered to herself, her  momentary  shock letting Ben glimpse her thoughts for the briefest of seconds.

**_ {Stupa  _ ** **_ bantha _ ** **__ ** **_ poodoo _ ** **_ } _ ** **__ ** she thought resentfully.

Glowering with frustration at her insult, Ben shouted back in the only Huttese  curse  his father had taught him.

"E  chuta  to you too!" He roared, finally rising to his feet once more.  His outburst  met with unforgiving silence.

<Boy!>  Chewbaccas  unamused voice suddenly barked, interrupting his slow descent into destruction and dragging him back to reality.

Ben froze as he felt the Wookie approach from the Falcon. Instantly feeling like a scolded child found with his hand is the cookie jar. His face flushed as he anticipated his ersatz uncle’s  ire at  his recklessness.

 Grunting loudly, Chewbacca surveyed the damage with a weary shake of his head.

<Boy really done it now. Dunderheaded fool for sure.>

Leaning over the broken glass, he pulled firmly on the destroyed wing wedged in the cockpit, testing its resistance to his movement. The metal creaked, but did not buckle under his ministrations.  Further shards of glass instead littered the ground near his feet. The windshield now beyond any reasonable repair.

Grunting again after his initial appraisal, Chewie looked down at Ben tiredly.

<Boy and Sunshine finished disturbing Chewbacca's peace?> he gurgled glumly, a hint of teasing in his face despite his f rown in  apparent annoyance.

"You heard us?" The young Solo replied sheepishly.

<Heard? Heard! Whole galaxy heard half pups shouting> Chewbacca grunted in response, throwing his huge, hirsute arms in the air.

"Oh..." Ben said awkwardly, scratching at the nape of his neck. Not knowing what else to say.

<All this talk of leaving! Ha! Boy fooling self if think s  can leave Sunshine  behind .> he muttered in reply.

“But she refuses to even consider leaving  Ahch -To...”  Ben argued.

<Chewbacca know, Sunshine stubborn, won’t see sense ....like  Boy. Perfect match it  seem >  Chewie interrupted, sighing in resignation.

“Well...” Ben began, his cheeks flushing.

Chewbacca couldn’t help but chuckle, his chest heaving as he laughed at Ben’s discomfort.

<Come, fix this ship later Chewbacca can. >  he said kindlier after a moment.

<Boy and Chewbacca play  djarik  now, cool Boy’s blood down until ready to say sorry to Sunshine>

"But...I don't." Ben  spluttered, starting  to protest grouchily. Chewbacca turned as he heard Ben’s petulant tone and roared at him loudly, teeth snarling at his friend’s bad temper. Ben almost fell over again in shock at  Chewies  response, but quickly shut his mouth to prevent further provocation.

<Boy will  apologise .> Chewie said carefully, looming over him < Sunshine not innocent, true, but Boy...Boy really hurt Sunshine.>

Ben’s cheeks pinked in shame at this.

“I know” he replied quietly.

<Come, Djarik will focus mind. Help find right words to say sorry.> Chewbacca said hopefully, putting his arm around Ben and gently guiding him to the Falcon. The beginning of an afternoon squall making the decision all the more appealing. 

* * *

 

The game did as Chewie had intended, Ben’s  remaining  churning anger and shame slow ed  and ebb ed  to a halt  as his attention was taken up in competition . The cold and dark throb of the Force softening into a hazy grey of acceptance  and almost peace.

As they made their way into their third game, the competition tied at one game apiece, Ben had almost forgotten his grievances of early afternoon. His anger directed into a deep concentration, eager to outmaneuver the old Wookie and take the  honour  of victory. His companion  was  a keen competitor, adapt at anticipating Ben’s moves given he had taught him the game in the first place  and challenged his every tactic . Even Han Solo had struggled to ever come this close to beating Chewie two games in a row.

However halfway through their current match a thought occurred to Ben, disrupting his focus. A niggling little quandary that had been in the back of his mind, but once free again, filled his head like a swarm.   


“Chewie?”  Ben  hesitated  cautiously  like a  nervous  child, his eyes rising from the game for the first time in  almost  an hour.

<Yes Boy > Chewbacca replied sternly; his furry brow furrowed in  frown of  intense concentration as his attention stayed on the game pieces.

“Why are you here? ”  Ben began carefully, mindful of setting off the Wookie  with his seemingly inane question .

“Why have you stayed with Rey on  Ahch -To?”

The old Wookie looked back him thoughtfully,  despite Ben’s misgivings there was not even  a  hint  of disapproval on his aging face.

“ I know Rey seems determined to stay here, but it doesn't mean you have to...” Ben trailed off, wondering if he had said too much.

<True that is, but Chewbacca not leaving Sunshine....not yet.....> he replied softly.

“But don't you miss  Kashyykk ?  And, your clan? ” Ben asked  probingly, his mind still turning, trying to understand .

Chewie’s old eyes darkened, a great sadness passing in the amber that stared back at Ben.

< Always  Boy, always....  but things happen. > he replied simply, an edge of bitterness in his voice.

“ Things....? ” Ben repeated with slight trepidation, the reality of Chewie’s presence here on Ahch=To becoming more and more apparent.

Ben ’ s  curiosity died as he felt the depthless sadness that rolled through Force from his old friend,  immediately  understanding  what Chewie couldn’t find the words to say.

“Chewie, what happened to  Malla  and Lumpy, why aren't you on  Kashyykk ?”  Ben  asked  bleakly, already knowing the answer deep in his bones. Chewie gurgled softly as his eyes glazed over.

< Malla , Lumpy....They are gone Boy, many moons ago. Clan....clan no more. >  Chewie replied softly after a moment .

<  Kashyykk  no more.>

His abject sorrow so sharp, Ben did not dare ask anything further.

“I am so sorry Chewie, I....I didn’t know” Ben said sincerely, his heart heavy as he tried to digest this new and awful information.

< Chewbacca know Boy, Chewbacca know.  Angry  Red Haired  Man order  Kashyykk  cleared  in secret. When it  happen , Chewie away with Sunshine and Princess in Outer Rim. Chewie could not get Malla  and Lumpy out in time. >

“Hux! That bastard!” Ben hissed bitterly, his eyes closing as he swallowed down his own grief. The memory of childhood trips with his father to  Kashyykk  came rushing back , of afternoons spent laughing and playing with Lumpy and the Wookie pups amongst the trees. The simple delight of running free with those noble creatures who had treated him like one of their own. 

All gone, like dust in the wind.

“I am sorry, I wish...I” he stuttered out, emotion rising up and making him choke.

“I wish I could have stopped him”

<I t is okay, Chewbacca knows not Boys fault .> the Wookie smiled sadly <Boy do many bad things when away, but Boy....Boy did not do this.>

Ben sighed again heavily, guilt eating him at being party to his friend's loss, the tragedy weighing  profoundly up on  his  soul. He found he could not find the words to express his shame. It was Chewie instead that broke the silence.

<Chewbacca will stay with Sunshine as long as Sunshine needs this old Wookie, Sunshine...and Boy, are my clan  now .> Chewie said solemnly < And Wookie never, ever, leave clan behind>

Ben met Chewie’s earnest gaze with a somber nod, his face serious as his thoughts returned to his argument of earlier.

“I’ve acted like an idiot haven’t I... I need to  apologise  to Rey ”  he said after a beat or two. Chewie's glum expression softened somewhat and faint smile turned up the edge of his mouth.

<Chewbacca think that is smartest words Boy has said in days> the Wookie replied wryly

<This is progress. Boy is finally starting to learn how to be man> he chuckled, clapping his friend on the back good naturedly.

“You are a stinky, mean old carpet of a beas t” Ben sighed with resignation.

“But I wouldn’t have you any other way” Ben chuckled with a sardonic smile, his gaze returning to the game without further instruction.   


* * *

 

When Ben finally left the Falcon, their Djarik tournament having spanned seven tense games, the squall of the early afternoon had evolved into a building storm. The freezing rain whipped around the exposed plateau like a swarm of stinging insects, the force of it catching his breath as Ben drove himself forward. The howling wind that had grown like a titan, whistling through the newly formed cavern in the Silencers helm with a vengeance. The vibrations caused were deep and ominous groans like the call of a great beast in its final days.   


Thankfully after their fourth game of  Djarik , Chewie once more had the foresight to remove broken wing from the cockpit when the wind picked up, the appendage safely stored inside the Falcon. The tarp he had  lashed  over the broken windshield now flapped rapidly in the gale, but thankfully held steady.

 Unfortunately, the remaining  shards of  glass that littered the rocks continued to be a problem. The fickle wind raising them up with the loose dirt and soil, to form sharp aerial missiles that beat against Ben's arms and side. Luckily, he was able avoid most strikes, using the Force to deflect all but a few small nicks to the arm and back.

Wincing as the intermittent shrapnel found its mark, he slowly he made his way past the fighter and to the hills above. Pausing just for a moment before starting his  ascent,he  groaned at the state of disrepair his ship now lay in.

Chewie swore he could mend the wing and front screen to relative working order before another moon cycle, but Ben had his doubts. What a stupid, stupid boy he could be.

 Sighing loudly, he set his sights on the temple nestled high above the driving wind, the flicker of a dim candle like a beacon in the grey gloom. Rey's own warm glow through the force another guiding light in his endeavor to repair the vital things he'd broken that day.

With great difficulty Ben made his way up the slippery, stone steps that wound upwards around the top of the island. His whole body ice cold, clothes sodden and clinging to his immense frame as he shivered violently. The unhelpful wind and driving rain a deterrent to attempting this again any time soon, his spirit almost broken as he reached the relative shelter and warmth of the temple above.

* * *

 

“Go away Ben. I’m trying to meditate” Rey growled from her cross-legged position in the  centre  of floor, eyes closed but frown obvious on her face. Her reaction to his unwelcome presence immediate and hostile.

Stepping closer to her and away from the cutting force of the wind outside, Ben scoffed loudly.

“Not a chance, do you have any idea how much effort it took to walk up those stone steps in a storm?”

“No one made you do it Solo.....” Rey retorted, still trying to keep up the pretense of wanting to meditate. Truthfully feeling more ready to duel than reach peace and balance in the Force at that moment.

“But I still did it, so please..” he began earnestly.

“What do you want Ben? ” Rey interjected, finally opening her eyes and glaring at him.

“I want to apologize” he said softly, dropping his eyes to the floor in an attempt of penance and humility.

" For what? Perhaps for reducing my attempts at a life here as tantamount to torture?” she said bitterly, her heart not softening one bit .

“ Or.. .... is it that your promise to stay here, was nothing but lip service”

“Hold on ....that’s  not..” Ben started to reply.

“Maybe you're just swallowing your pride ?  Reluctantly groveling to ensure the next few weeks are palatable enough until Chewie fixes the Silencer?” Rey continued harshly “That was stellar work by the way, a class 1 demolition job if ever I saw one!”

“Rey...” Ben whispered; his brow knit in growing hurt. Chastened by her acrimonious assessment of his honest regret.

Rising to her feet, Rey’s face stayed stormy as her icy stare bore into his unhappy one.

“Don’t bother, as long as you can keep your distance, I can be civil until you’re ready to leave.”

Her chest rose up and down visibly as she swallowed down the sadness that flood her heart at her own words. Ben looked back at her forlornly, unable to respond for a  moment.

“Rey....how can you think that’s what I want.That maintaining civility is the reason I climbed all the way up here in a kriffing hurricane” Ben exhaled desperately.   


“It doesn’t matter anymore why or what I think. There is only what has happened and what will happen. Our decisions have been made.” Rey said sourly.

“ But..that’s  not...” he argued back. Rey raised her hand, gesturing for him to stop. So weary of this argument already.

“Ben, please ....just  go away.”

He looked distraught at her latest dismissal, stepping closer he tried one more time to make her see what he couldn’t find the words to say.

“No” he said quietly, his deep voice a tremulous rumble in the cavern

“Please leave me alone” Rey said firmly, her teeth gritting as he continued to approach. Blatantly ignoring her request.

“Not until you listen” he replied more forcefully., swiftly closing the distance between them. His great height looming over her as he stopped just short.

“Please just ...wait ” he interjected more softly this time when he  spoke , trying to keep his frustrations under wraps.

“I am done listening” she responded coldly.

Pushing passed him, Rey marched towards the cavern  mouth  with  a flurry of dogged purpose . Her progress was suddenly halted as Ben held her in place using the Force. Feet stuck  fast  to  the  ground like a tar pit ,  immobile against his influence.

“Let go!” she hissed, turning her head to scowl at him . Speech dripping with  venom.

“No” Ben shook his head. His grip not loosening one nanometre.

“Fine” Rey  s pat back , eyes narrowing. 

He barely had time to blink before a small boulder came careening towards his face. Ducking and deflecting another rogue missile from Rey he almost laughed at her  reaction .

“Did anyone even tell you that you have some anger control problems “Ben sighed sardonically, as he pushed another rock safely away using the Force.

“Me!” Rey exclaimed  “I'm  not the one that destroyed my own ship in a tantrum.”

“At least I'm not pettily lobbing rocks like a  child“  Ben replied touchily, sore about that he'd ruined the Silencer so flippantly.

“Takes one to know one!” she countered with a sneer “Now let go of me!”

Firing one last missile at his head, she was frustrated to find his grip  as  iron clad as before.

“Petulant brat” he muttered at her attempt at assaulting him.

“You are without doubt the worst person I've ever seen try to apologize.” Rey growled angrily, rolling her eyes at the situation.

“Rey stop being so difficult then and just listen...” Ben started.

With an exasperated growl in response, Rey finally lost her cool entirely. Her frustration and anger bursting forth with a fury, powerful and utterly out of control. 

Ben within a breath, found himself lifted off his feet and pinned against the jagged rock wall before he could even finish his sentence. In his surprise he released Rey from his hold and her grip tightened on him, sliding the bemused former  jedi  higher up the sharp cavern face with a dark snarl.  Ben made no attempt to break her hold despite his powers matching hers like a mirror image. Instead he smiled with mild amusement in spite of the uncomfortable scratch of the stone wall against his  bac k  .

"You truly would have made the  most apt pupil  for the dark side" he smirked  through ragged breath ,  studying her ire with interest.  A  fi ery ring  of rage circling her in the force like a crimson halo.

Rey sneered  in response , pressing harder into his chest. Taking the wind out of his lungs for a moment.

'Never!'

"No? Then tell me you don't feel it, that cold press of something deep and dark against your mind” Ben wheezed after a moment, his eyes fixing on her with intent. Boring straight into her racing thoughts, seeing the darkening presence there 

 “That rush of anger, of hate, of something filled with power. You know it to be true .." he continued. 

  
Rey glared at him, but didn’t offer any contradictions.

“ Stop talking ”  she spat back,  pressing further despite the shake of rage and self-disgust at her own behavior. And yet she did not let him go, the dark power that drove her getting stronger and more  brutal .

Still Ben did not push back against her hold, allowing her to crush the breath from his lungs.

His conscious starting to waver as he let her feel the waves of maliciousness that flooded her heart.

A penance for causing her this hurt in the first place.

Rey ’ s face softened  as her anger ebbed away, Ben’s  gapsing , choking breaths shaking her back to reality.

All at once she released him again, the  colour  surging back into his cheeks as he took a great gulping breath into his burning lungs. He collapsed onto the cavern floor as he tried to get his heart rate to slow.

Rey stood trembling, watching him with the deepest shame. Horrified at what she’d done.

   
“This is all your fault,all of it.” she said quietly, stricken and unable to stop the tremble in her voice“For years I have lived here in peace, in tranquility and balance and …"

“Boredom? ”  Ben interjected , starting to get to his feet.

   
Rey ignored him, turning to watch the sheets of falling rain across the cliff tops through the far side of the cave.

“N ow you're here ....” she began again, glancing back at him with cold scowl “Y ou've infected this island  _ and  _ me  with your twisted presence in the force . Changing it  with discontent and....rage and ....  fire.... and.... ”

“Passion?” Ben supplied, dark eyes searching hers with interest, his face blank to hide the torrent of emotions that churned underneath. Stepping closer to her he felt, as well as saw, the effect his close proximity had upon her. Eyes blinking rapidly as she swallowed whatever feeling had risen up. A dangerous charge and straining tension growing around them.   


"Perhaps..."  Rey  murmured uncomfortably , dropping her eyes to her clenched fists to avoid Ben’s probing gaze. He would get no further admissions from her today.

But he was far from being finished yet.

Stepping even closer to stand beside her as she feigned interest in watching the rain, he licked his lips in nervousness before beginning again.

" Rey  when I said those things earlier,  about leaving  Ahch -To,  I  didn’t  mean ...” his words stuttered for a beat.

“ I would  never  leave you  behind. Never”

Rey still did not look at him, but her shoulders seemed to relax as he spoke.

“Then why say it?” she asked quietly, her resolve slipping.

“Because I am an hard headed, ornery nerf herder” Ben replied with a self- effacing smile, his spirits lifting as he spotted the corner of Rey’s mouth twitch into a brief smile at his answer. Trying again, he stepped to stand in front of her. Leaning down, he finally caught her eyes. The forlorn hazel locking with his sorrowful brown.

" Please forgive me, I truly did not mean to hurt you. The words I spoke...they were never meant the way they sounded." Ben said softly his face open and honest, vulnerable to any further rejections she may inflict .

"Then what did you mean?” Rey replied quietly, her eyes tracing a path across his face. Attention flickering between his eyes and mouth, following the lines of the scar she had given him and back again to the warm brown of his gaze.

“Something altogether different” Ben murmured, his deep voice rumbling as he watched her. Relief lightening his heart as he felt her anger completely disappear. Something all the  softer  and inviting replacing it.

“It seems you do that a lot” Rey smirked, a glint of teasing in her gaze.

"When it comes to you....often." He laughed softly at himself.

"Which is ironic, because I have always been known for my directness ....often too direct at times”

"You.... direct? Never!" She replied with a bite of sarcasm. Ben winced at the memory of his uncouth speech in the throne room. What a disaster that had been. But he found as the look at her again, he did not care.

Rey was fully smiling at him now, eyes brightening at his openness.

Swallowing the immediate rush of apprehension at his next action, Ben pushed passed his fear and reached for Rey’s hand. His face blushing as tried to not to notice the hitch in her breath. Eyes dropping to their entwined fingers.

 “But with you” Ben sighed earnestly, his eyes rising from their hands to meet her surprised expression with a tremble of his jaw.

“With you I lose my way. Every time.... totally and utterly floundering."

Rey’s cheeks flushed pink at this, her eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to regain her composure. But instead of pulling away from him, like every one of her instincts screamed at her to do, Rey stepped even closer to him. Her fingers wrapping around his as she looked up at him with soft eyes.

The Force expanded and contracted in the air around them, humming pleasantly as they drew closer.

“Do I make you nervous?” Rey asked quietly.

“Always” Ben replied with another chuckle, feeling brave enough to raise his other hand to her face. His thumb running over the line of cheek tentatively, watching for her reaction.

Rey gulped visibly but leaned into his touch, his palm warm again her skin. Butterflies exploding in her stomach from their close contact. She wondered how it would feel to trace the same line across his brow, to draw a path with her fingers to his lips. Her own skin vibrating with pleasure under his touch. Rey closed her eyes, relishing the feeling, that undeniable flame of want growing with each second. /span>

“You make me nervous” she said so quietly, Ben almost didn’t hear it. Eyes snapping open and wide when she realized she’d said it aloud.

Ben’s stunned expression caused her heart beat to skip, panic rising as she caught his thought turning to the kiss, she’d given him a few nights before. Pondering what it would feel like to catch her lips again. After what she had accidentally witnessed yesterday she was in no doubt Ben wanted her, cheeks flaming as she remembered the feeling of his pleasure washing over her. The intensity of this want overwhelming her once more . However ,she ached to kiss him again. Not out of a misplaced sense of obligation like the time before, but out of pure, undeniable craving for all she'd waited .

This time a kiss would mean so much more, be so much more than the passive acceptance of an errant impulse late at night. A misplaced expression of gratitude thought,as she corrected herself. A kiss, after all that had been said, all she had seen, would be the final realization of everything that lay underneath, pulling and driving them together.

Ben slowly let go of Rey’s hand without a word, his thoughts and heart racing at the prospect of closing the distance that separated them. Raising his hand again to gently cup the other side of her face and tilt it up towards his, Ben’s breath stuttered in his chest. Her eyes were wide and terrified as she looked at him and yet she made no move to stop him.

Rey gripped at his wrists as he lowered his forehead to rest against hers, their chests heaving as they fought to control their breath. Eyes closing, they stayed like that for the longest moment, waiting to close a distance that measured whole galaxies for that brief fear filled pause.

Ben’s nose brushed up against hers as he tried to pluck up the courage to just take that final leap into the unknown. Never so terrified in all his year cycles. 

He could feel how much she wanted this as much as him and yet he was frozen.

Impatience getting the better of her, Rey finally crossed the threshold and made the tentative jump.

Her hands slid up his arms to grip the hair at the back of his head and pull him towards her.

Electricity shooting up her spine as his lips touched hers softly, mouth gasping open at the contact.

Pulling back a fraction, she kissed him deeper as their mouths met again. Ben responding immediately this time, pulling her closer as he met her mouth with equal fervor. Tasting her as her mouth dropped open with each halting, excited breath. Her lips softer than he could ever imagine.

True she had kissed him once before, but this, what was happening now, was like nothing he had ever felt before. It desire and longing, lust and love, light and delicious darkness colliding with explosive power. Burning and all consuming.

A jolt of something deep and profound, like being reborn.

Clean, new and pure.

Drawing her lower lip in between his own and sucking gently, he heard her groan so deeply it made him shiver. 

Rey responded in kind, biting lightly on lip and causing the usually stoic man to grunt in unbridled pleasure. He pulled away from her to look at her face in bemused surprise, eyes dark with something devilish. Smirking at him, she gripped the material of his padded, grey jacket and pulled him back towards him. Kissing him again with such force, it took Ben a moment to catch up. 

Tracing the edge of her mouth with his tongue, Ben soon found entry. Rey’s groan at the intrusion an obvious sign of approval. Meeting his tongue with her own, she pulled him deeper. 

Ben could feel himself growing hard in his trousers as her fingers clenched at the back of his head, chest pressing into his. The cold, wet material of his jacket dampening her tunic until he could the outline of her banded breast against him. It was all too much to bare. Thoughts of taking her there against the cavern wall flitting into his head. Blood pounding in his ears. Rey too feeling the hot press of desire coursing through her blood stream.

However, fate it seemed, interfered.

Rey yelped and jerked away from Ben as her feet and ankles were suddenly assaulted by a deluge of freezing rain water. The floor of the cavern flooding as the storm broke through into their shelter, the rain water rushing inside and swirling round their feet.

“Perfect” Rey grumbled, shaking out her sodden boots. Ben likewise sighed in annoyance at the interruption and  large  amount of water now surrounding them.

“I guess that’s our cue to leave” he said ruefully, a distinctly smug smile on his face.

Catching his thoughts as they replayed what had just happened, Rey seemed to set take a purposeful step back.

Her brazenness was now forgotten and face flushing pink now the moment was over. 

“Let’s go back to the huts” she said quietly, her posture guarded and somewhat awkward.

Though he did not sense any regret from her, Ben couldn’t help but feel disappointed by Rey’s sudden distance . 

As Ben lumbered over to the steps without another word, still dumbfounded by what had just happened. The kiss now seeming surreal as time stretched on beyond it. The only sign of its reality was the slight pressure on his skin from her lips. He felt Rey pull upon his sleeve as he moved, her brow furrowed. He looked back at her hopefully, but his spirits were immediately crushed by her distant expression. “Not that way, you’ll end up blown off a cliff” she said without humor, pulling him toward a large boulder at the outer end of the cave. With no further explanation she moved it away to reveal a narrow, low passage that descended into the dark.

“This tunnel passes through the mountain, down and straight out a cavern by the Uneti tree” she said simply, staring off into the dark. Ben nodded but added nothing further. Lost to his own quiet thought. Following her without a word as the entered the dark path to the outside world./span>

* * *

 

Navigating the pitch black descent down the mountain was not as difficult as Ben had envisioned  . Their journey guided in some small part by the energy that seemed to vibrate from the granite walls themselves. Using the Force, which streamed and resonated like an echo, they carefully stepped further and further into the unknown without fear.

It was not long until they had finally reached the end of the tunnel and exited out into the waning light of the evening, the storm still raging violently around them.

Rey pointed animatedly toward a pathway not known to Ben, her voice useless against the deafening, howling wind.

Ben nodded and followed her as they fought against the storm, rain almost blinding as it covered them and drove hard again their skin.

Their journey back to the huts however was quick cut short as Rey stopped in her tracks, the winding steps ahead a waterfall and stone steps unstable underfoot.

One or two caretaker came rushing up to them, their small forms swaddled in whale skin poncho's, protected against the rain.

The smaller of the two babbled at Rey and pointed away towards the Falcon.

"She says the huts are all flooded and the storm has made the way up impassible. We need to bunk down in the Falcon for the moment." Rey roared over the din.

Ben sighed in resignation, but nodded in agreement. He had not slept on the freighter since adolescence and had hoped to never repeat the experience since. But it seemed he had alternative at that second. Scowling, he sighed again before following Rey once more Trudging off towards his old nemesis with reluctance.

 

Chewie laughed heartily as soon as they entered the ship. Their clothes utterly soaked and mud splattered, hair and unmitigated disaster. 

<Go for swim, pups did?> he teased, handing each of them a towel after he'd finally stopped chuckling.

Rubbing at his head with the towel to dry his sopping hair, Ben pouted at the jibe. 

"Have you seen that storm outside, it's not funny" Rey moaned loudly, smiling despite herself.

<Little funny> Chewie replied with a wink <both look like drowned womp rat>

Chuckling again, he handed them each a bowl of stew and hot cup of caff, ushering for them to sit down after they were sufficiently dry..

<Night almost upon island, storm will calm by morning. Think both pups stay here tonight.>

"Yeah, it's probably best" Ben sighed tiredly, shoveling the warm, comforting stew into his mouth. It was Chewie's special mystery meat concoction, an unusual meal to say the least, butBen was ever thankful for it after the cold he had endured.

<When done food, maybe use fresher. Boy smell like bantha.> Chewie teased after a while, sniffing at the man's still dripping head. Ben rolled his eyes at him and Rey smirked at his response.

<Sunshine also smell by the way.> Chewie added, sniffing at Rey's hair after

"Fine" Rey huffed, eating another spoon of the stew with a glower. Chewie chuckled and ate his food with a smile. he snorted to himself. 

Silence slowly descended as they ate, the only sound interrupting the quiet was the distant howling wind outside. The great ship lilting here and there against its relentless strength. Holding steady despite the creaks and groans it endured.

After a while, the old Woolie cleared his throat and set down his empty bowl.

<Chewie going to bed, Boy and Sunshine take Captain's quarters> he yawned as he rose to his feet and started toward the door.

Ben's face paled as he choked on the last of his food, his brain processing Chewies words and their implications in a flurry of panic.

"Captain's quarters?"

Rey's eyes also widened at this. Her anxiety rising by the minute as her mind quickly caught up with Ben.

"Chewie, it's your ship and..." Ben stuttered after a finally catching his breath again.

<Chewbacca will be more than comfy in First Mate bunk. Not need as much room> he added kindly, but a playful gleam shone in his old eyes as he looked between Ben and Rey.

"But...but..." Rey began, paling as the old Wookie shook his head.

<It final. Chewbacca see you in morning>.

Leaving them with their mouth agog and their composure in shambles, an awkward silence grew between Rey and Ben. The prospect of sharing a bed at the forefront of their minds.

This was not how Ben thought today was going to go.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo....who's ready for some steamy/awkward bed sharing on the Falcon.....not sure when I will update, but I've been waiting to write this next chapter for a while so I'm stoked to start soon :) Hope you like this one, all comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated!
> 
> Structure will be 2-3 more chapters.
> 
> Note: this has had minor edits since original posting, hence updated upload.


	6. The 4th night part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Rey and Ben prepare to share a bed, the Force once more adds further tension to their awkward situation. Helping to unlock the underlying passion that brews underneath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this chapter was supposed to be longer. But due to an upcoming family Easter trip I've had to split the chapter and leave it on a cliff hanger! The chapter is a slow or not so slow burn to some steamy action in the next installment. I hope you enjoy it. Please comment if you have any thoughts on the latest episode. I love all the comments :)  
> Thanks to all the people who have liked and bookmarked this little project of mine.  
> \- much love, RedCatRen

It had been almost 15 years since Ben had attempted, or more often, failed spectacularly, at trying to use the Falcons ill-equipped Fresher facilities. The ancient and ill-maintained sanitation system often had a mind of its own, frequently shortening the standard 3-minute wash cycle most creatures were conditioned to,  down  to a baffling 63.5  galactic s econds on the dot. Leaving any poor occupier naked, wet and likely still covered in soap. Ben had lost count of the number of times he had been forced to finish his trips to the Fresher with soap caked hair, scowling as Chewie roared in laughter. And yet, even with the Falcons inept wash systems  and chancing its mercurial operating time s , it still beat smelling like a Bantha as Chewie had so eloquently put it. 

Han had promised Leia  decades  ago he would replace the temperamental water system with a sonic shower . H owever ,  it seemed despite the se vows , the old, cruel mistress  still  remained. Ben guessed he could at least use it without a sense of guilt at wasting water,  Ahch-To's  stormy cli ma t e  supplying more water than they would ever need to fill the tanks. By now ,Chewie had the water collection  and storage  down to an art.

Once he and Rey had finally resolved to follow Chewie’s advice  in the wake of their shock , Ben volunteered to take the first test of the old Fresher. Hoping for once, the old girl would be kind to them. Stepping into the cramped, damp space, he quickly stripped to his underwear. Pausing as he caught sight of his face for the first time in days.

Staring blankly at his own reflection in the suspiciously well-kept mirror (an obvious r elic  of Lando ’ s  flamboyant  ownership), Ben slowly ran his palm over his increasingly thick growth of facial hair. Not having noticed how much it had grown over the past few days. Counting internally, he tallied seven day cycles since he'd  last  seen a grooming droid. Running his fingers over his jaw, he considered keeping it for moment, liking the somewhat rakish air it gave him.  But  the more he looked at the face that glared back at him, the gentle slope of black that covered its upper lip and scowling chin, the more he saw his father. That unkempt, ruffled charm Han Solo had exuded with every pore. 

The thought made his throat knot and eyes drop to the meagre sink below. An ache of pain throbbing in his chest.

Sighing deeply, he pushed the sudden well of emotion away and met his eyes once more in the reflective glass. Reaching up to the cabinet above, he retrieved the ancient grooming pack Lando had gifted him before left to train with Luke. The simple razor and shaving soap seeming alien in his hands after so many years of being serviced by an emotionless droid. The smell of the soap, the same brand his father had always used, an instant trigger for long forgotten memories. 

The throb in Ben's chest tightening as he remembered watching his father show  him how to shave as a young boy, child eyes memorizing  each careful stroke of the blade on his father's craggy face. Ben, barely four years old, yelping with joy as Han let him spread creamy foam across his face, chubby hands ruining his father's newly washed hair. Smiling, always smiling as Ben giggled uncontrollably.

Gripping the sink, the urge to cry passing over him, Ben exhaled loudly. He thought of his mother too, her warm arms encircling him  in  his small bunk,  shushing him  as he begged her for another bed time story. Whispering gently to him the story of the brave princess, handsome thief and loyal farm boy who helped save the galaxy. The  grand  adventures  those  heroes had f ought, brought to life  in a freighter not unlike the one he slept in.  He remembered  Leia’s  soft hand on his cheek as she cried, hating to leave him with Chewie again for another useless senate debate.

Promising as always.

_ 'I'll come back sweetheart' _

They were a ll gone. Like the flicker  of a  candle in the night.

What a fool he'd been.  About everything.

He wished so much his father was here now. Here to give him the guidance he needed, to tease him for his inept attempts at wooing Rey.

Han would have known what to do ;  what to say to calm his nerves.

 His mother ..... Leia would have known the words he needed to s peak . She would have helped  put it all together, to  tactfully express all that he was beginning to feel. H elped  to tell Rey ....  to tell himself, the reality that was staring him in the face.

Because one thing was for certain, Ben was falling in love with Rey. Helplessly, hopelessly and without control.

Brushing his fingers over his lips, the skin still flushed by the friction their mouths had caused, Ben smiled to himself. His gut lurching at the thought of her lips crushed to his. Her beautiful, delicate face held reverently between his  two  monstrous hands.

And for those brief, intimate moments, he could almost let himself believe that maybe, one day, she could love him too.

Broken and all.

Not yet though. He still had much to prove before he was worthy of those words.

Too much of  Kylo  Ren still survived within his breast, twisting and darkening his soul. Poisoning Ben's happiness with flash es  of envy and  doubt,  with thoughts of who could have been Rey's bedfellow in the years they had been apart. 

The kiss she had given him too confident and all-consuming to be the instinct of a novice in  the  matters of love. 

Glaring at his own face, Ben tried in vain to push these jealous thoughts away. Knowing he had no right to be angry about something he had no claim over in the first place. 

Rey was her own person and was beholden to no one but herself, least of all to him, the one who had hurt her whe n  it mattered most.

Just because he had  inadvertently  sworn to himself to celibacy, didn't mean she ’ d adhered to the same  principles . What did it matter who she had, or hopefull y, had  not  kissed ?

The past was the past.

Still he wondered, why had she so suddenly stepped away from him in the temple?

Maybe his technique had left her cold when compared to other partners she had engaged with? 

That would certainly explain why she'd so suddenly shut him out, the distance and awkwardness a sure sign of hidden disappointment.   


_'Never could compete_ _with Poe_ _Dameron_ _, could you_ _Solo_ ' Kylo Ren whispered to Ben, bitterness and vitriol spewing into his mind like a cancer.   


Gripping the sink again, Ben exhaled loudly. Trying to calm the growing storm in his own head. Urging the light within him to cool the fire, to create a more measured response than  Kylo  Ren demanded. For once he would just have to swallow his pride and innate impulse to lose control, and just accept things as they were.

Ben knew despite whatever may have happened before, he was here now. Rey was choosing him now.

And when it finally came down to it, he would rather be Rey's final kiss than any irrelevant first. 

No matter how much the thought of Poe  Dameron , or any other idiotic Resistance dolt, touching her made his blood boil.

If he wished to ever have his feelings reciprocated by the person, he wanted most in this universe, he would have to learn to let it go.

Finally picking up the soap from the kit, he wet the small bar under the weak steam of water. Rubbing the simple soap until the foam coated his hands, he covered his jaw, taking care to reach every crevice. The razor was warm in his hands as he finally put it just under his chin and felt the blade softly scrape across his skin. His scruffy, week old stubble coming away with each careful stroke, revealing again the young face he’d once hated. Hidden away behind a mask and denied underneath all his wrathful anger.

Not anymore.

* * *

 

On the other side of the Fresher door, far from Ben’s pensive gaze, Rey stood in front of the only other mirror on the ship. Lando’s once beautiful dressing room now served as an ad hoc storage room for all kinds of oily spare parts and scavenged items Chewie and Rey had collected from their travels across the galaxy. A world away from the purpose the room had been built for  so long ago . The only item  that had  survive d  Han’s cull many moons ago was Lando’s ostentatious dressing mirror,  probably at the behest of Leia which Hanhad grudgingly agreed to. The mirror  remaining there as a reminder of the room's original grandeur, but now ,  served as an object of distress for Rey as she stood in front of it.  A sad frown on her face as she examined herself in the glass, critically turning her body left and right to better see all that she often overlooked. Examining every angle, every inch of skin and flaw upon on her sun bronzed cheeks. 

Trying to  understand  what Ben Solo clearly  thought  he saw in her. 

What was  it  within her face that made him want her so? To crave and desire her beyond simple male instinct, a drive so base, that even the effect  of the Force upon  on them could not explain it fully.

When Rey looked at herself, she  still  saw only the scarred, half-starved, dirty face of  a n  orphaned n obody from  Jakku . The boyish, formless figure of someone who was built for survival and nothing more. Running her hands over her tunic and down her sides self-consciously, she felt only the slight swell of her feminine frame against her hands. Even with weight she had gained from more frequent meals, the small, soft increase she had  attained  at her breasts and hips, would never be described as desirable in her mind. 

Certainly not when compared  to  the bodies so readily available on the  holo net . Images of beauty and seduction  many men, and some women, so eagerly and thoroughly consumed. Those beautiful, buxom girls, perfect in every conceivable physical way  that smiled at you demurely through the  holofilm .  N o t a thing out of place, do wn to every eyelash and finger nail they had on display.

Rey could never compete with that fantasy.

To ever compare her basic form w ith the beauties Ben had very  lik e ly e njoyed the company of on  lonely, dark  nights, was a losing battle.

The thought of which  _ certainly  _ didn't  grate on her feelings one bit! Not one iota!

Jealousy of the unknown lovers of Ben Solo had  _ never  _ been an issue for her,  _ never  _ played upon her mind a d nauseum until she wanted to burn every dirty, pornographic  Holo  into dust.

Rey was  **_ perfectly  _ ** capable of keeping her cool when it came to the possibility of him having other women in his life as Supreme Leader.

It would be idiotic to assume anything else would had happened once he’d gotten in power. He was a young man after all.

 And yet, she could not deny the plunge in her gut every time she pictured Ben with any of those statuesque beauties he'd surely been offered.

Maybe that was the reason she had found it hard to look at him after they’d kissed. Embarrassed by her own inexperience in the face of his clear expertise. Boy could that man kiss!

But the past could never be changed. It just existed...and there was nothing she could do to turn it back.

Rey just hoped, when the time came, what little lay underneath her clothes would not disappoint him when compared to those he had drawn pleasure from before.

R ey had most definitely not been disappointed when she'd seen  what lay under his tunic the day before . His exposed skin a pale map of flawless, strength filled beauty. Perfection in every aspect. 

All of him in vivid glory. 

Reys face flamed as she caught hold of  her  illicit thoughts. Her musings leading her to a  realization s he had not  admitted to herself  before. 

That she, innocent as she was to the lessons of love, was starting to wonder what it would be like to go to bed with him. Not in the sense of physically sharing a bed ,  obviously they would do  that  quite shortly  ton ight. But in sharing  that which she had offered to no one else nor had ever  wanted to share with anyone else.

This state of purity maintained  despite some failed  , overeager attempts by Poe Dameron and other ill-advised Resistance fighters, to change the situation.

Rey found as she looked at her flushed cheeks, heat creeping up her chest and down into her core, the thought of being with him did not scare her as it once did. 

Years of absence, pining and aching for the connection that had sparked this dark and dangerous attraction, built a need inside her that couldn’t be brushed aside anymore. The dozens of moon cycles of denials, of willful ignorance had made the urge, the pull to Ben stronger. 

The memory of his broad shoulders and toned chest from his many years of physical training made another lick of fire roll down her spine ,  into the part of her she neglected most. The ecstasy she had witnessed yesterday as he thought of her, brought further sparks of unexpected need , t hrobbing and demanding to be noticed. Her breath caught hard in her throat as she found herself drawing on the memory that made her body tighten most, his big hands running over the straining length of his cock. Dark and blood flushed as he pumped himself with a grunt. Rey wondered what those great hands could do to her, given the chance.  How his cock would feel in her own small hands. 

If she could help him feel that same euphoria as he had let her glimpse yesterday.

Undressing and unravelling the simple braids in her hair in preparation of her time in the Fresher, Rey tried not let her sordid thoughts bleed into Ben’s consciousness. The object of affection blissfully unaware and distracted in the other room. 

These feelings were too overwhelming for her to try and  broach with him just yet.

Unfortunately, the Force would only keep her passions under wraps so long, the air around her saturated with charged emotions and unexpressed desires. Very quickly becoming all too much to stop the inevitable cracks in her armor from showing.

Their bond snapping open again like a flash of lightening. 

Ben’s eyes widened as Rey suddenly stood in front of him, the spray from the Fresher covering her hair and off white under clothes in an instant. Her face just under his  chin  as they stood chest to chest in the cramped room. Ben’s chest heaved as he found himself naked as the day he was born, half covered in soap and at a total loss for words at this new development.

Rey’s shocked hazel eyes drifted  up to his  for a moment in disbelief, cheeks scarlet despite the sudden chill of the lukewarm water. Hearts thumping as the moment stretched on without words between them.

Frozen in fear at the rush of shared feeling and  unbidden  wants.

It was the sudden brush of her leg against his groin, the accidental press of what lay between his legs again her skin that jolted her back to reality.

Rey reacted first, turning quickly on her heel and facing away from Ben in shame.

“ Kriff , I’m sorry ” she muttered apologetically, begging the bond to end as she hid her  crimson  face  her  in hands.

This was just perfect.

Ben was still frozen in shock, struck dumb in reaction to her presence here. Utterly embarrassed to be exposed again so completely by the Force.

However, this time he endeavored to react a little more measured to her appearance. Lashing out in panic had really not worked in his  favour  the last time !  Swallowing deeply, he willed his hands to rise from his sides, to reach out to and  try sooth her worry, to relieve the tension in  her  hunched - up  shoulders. Her whole body bent forward in an utter mortification.  

Ben’s hand hovered just above her exposed s kin , his hope to rectify his former mistak e  cruelly ripped away in an instant ,  as Rey disappeared from the Fresher.

G one almost as quickly as she had appeared.

Retracting his hand, he instead sighed heavily as he rubbed at his face in resignation.

His ears still ringing from the abrupt disconnect of the bond, not fully recovered yet from the shock of seeing her there in so little clothes. Not that he was particularly  upset  at seeing Rey in her underwear. In fact, quite the opposite was true, the thin material  of her breast band  a bit too enticing despite its obvious purpose of functionality, rather than seduction.

But  such was his building desire for her ,  that even simple underclothing could set his pulse racing. Groaning  loudly, Ben struggled to keep his composure  as his mind replayed the sight of water cascading through her unbraided hair,  the  rivulets  of pale silver  winding down her neck to glisten over her chest . Watching again, the  many streams disappear down the small valley between her barely concealed breasts.  Enticing him to explore what lay underneath.

She was beautiful.

But now ,  she  was  even more likely to be distant towards him after this last embarrassment.   He barely wanted to face her after this!

The Force could be a cruel master to say the least.

The water behind him shut off with a splutter, leaving  Ben  cold, disappointed and so turned on, he could barely think.

Ben tried to refocus his thoughts as the chill snapped him back to reality,  the shock in temperature  pushing him to calm down and regain control of his body.

The thought of facing her with an overeager and raging erection was not a feat he wanted to repeat anytime soon.

Thumping the fresher panel with a precision learned only through years of experience, the water began to flow again in earnest. Allowing Ben to finally rid himself of the suds in his eyes and return his heart rate to a more manageable pace.

* * *

 

When he exited the Fresher a few minutes later, dressed haphazardly in a pair of loose pants and hole filled t-shirt he’d found in  a  random storage cupboard, Ben had only one thing on his mind.  

Finding Rey.

He could feel her burning shame through the Force and while his own embarrassment pained him endlessly, he would not have her suffer unnecessarily. Rey, on the other hand, wanted to escape the inevitable for as long as she could.

Slipping into the fresher behind  him , the door slamming shut before  Ben  even was even aware  she  had been there.   Standing by the door  and  staring at the simple grey as his mouth hung agape, Ben contemplated trying to speak with her. His hand pausing to rest against the cold metal.

Trying to find the words to open the conversation proved too much  though  and he pushed off the doorframe with a grunt. Running his hands through his still damp hair with a sigh.

Inside the Fresher, Rey stood with her forehead again the door, disappointed by her cowardice. Making a promise to herself this would be the last time tonight she would let her nerves get the best of her. Stripping off and walking under the sharp cascade of water, her mind cleared and heart rose with the prospect of what this all meant.

When she finally ventured out to face him, clad in the only clean item she could find that covered all the vital parts of her, Ben  was  sat at the edge of the double bunk, staring off blankly into space. The old tunic she wore soft against her skin after years of washing and loving ware. The long robe reaching just above the apex of her knee, her modestly still intact despite her lack of underwear. Her garments from today drying outside the Fresher after her attempt at hand-washing them.

Rey tried not to notice how Ben’s adams apple bobbed in nervousness as he watched her approach, his eyes raking up her body with thinly disguised interest. Whatever he had steeled himself to speak with her about quickly disappeared from his mind. His attention now captivated by her long, golden legs and softly curling hair as it dried into gentle waves around her face. Dark eyes filled with something she did not yet have a name for.

She too could not help but be drawn to his tousled, dark locks and solid shoulders as he leaned forward onto his knees. The whole look giving him a boyish, innocent air  particularly with his newly shaven cheeks.

“You shaved.” Rey said simply.

“ Ehhh ....yeah. It was just time to get rid of my pathetic attempt at facial hair.” Ben answered mockingly. 

Rey flashed him a brief smile.

“Shame, it didn’t look half bad.” Rey replied honestly. Ben’s dark eyebrows rose up in  surprise  at her reply.

“Really?” 

Rey nodded in response and Ben let out a small snort of disbelief.

“Guess I’ll keep that mind in future.”

Rey didn’t add anything further, attention reverting to her knotted hair without a word.

“I think that’s mine”  Ben  said with a slight smirk after a moment, watching with amusement as she tried to de-tangle her  damp locks  with her fingers.

“What?” Rey said distractedly, pulling again at her hair.

“The tunic” Ben answered simply “I think it was mine.” 

Pausing her ministrations, Rey looked down at the faded  blue  cotton with a puzzled frown.

“Oh” she replied with surprise, looking  back  at him sheepishly

 “ I didn’t  realise ”

Ben shrugged nonchalantly.

“It’s fine, probably wouldn’t fit me anymore.  Looks better on you anyway....  ”

Rey gave him a tight smile in response, going back to her previous  task.  Not taking the compliment or bait to talk further. Her attention focused on a space just to the left of him as she worked out her tangles.

Ben chewed on his lip and ran his finger over his knuckles as his eyes flicked between Rey’s face and the floor. At a loss as to what to say now.

Maybe it was wise to let things lie tonight. No point in pushing  thing s  too quickly.

Clearing his throat after a long gap, he tried to be as blasé as possible as he spoke again.

“I didn’t know what side of the bed you’d  prefer ;  I didn’t want to assume a side before you’d had a chance to choose.”

His face grew hot again as the reality of sharing a bed with her  hit him .

Rey’s distracted gaze fell on his face, discomfort flashing across it before she shook herself free and gave him a small smile.

“Thank you, I’ll....sleep on the...inside I guess” she answered more breezily about the situation then she actually felt . Ben smiled genially as he nodded, quickly rising to his feet to give her room to slide in. 

“Please” he said politely,  pulling back the thin sheet and  gesturing at the bed with a slight wave of his hand

Rey was taken aback by his  impromptu  display of  gallantry , flashing him an awkward smile as she padded passed him to get into the bunk. Ben was after all Leia Organa’s son ;  good manners came as standard with breeding as impeccable as theirs. Still, it was a side of him she had never really seen before. 

Slipping under the surprisingly silkily sheets, Rey settled back against the pillows with another tight smile. Desperate to not let her discomfort show. 

Ben tried to hide the nervous tremble in his lip as he leaned down to get into the bunk too.

   
Pulling down the sheet further, he sat down on the doughy mattress. The bed sinking slightly under his considerable weight, a loud creak resonating around the cabin as he swung his legs onto the bed. 

Finally lying beside Rey, Ben shot her a small, shy smile before focusing his gaze on the top of the bunk above him. Twisting his thumbs over one another in tight circles as his hands lay over his chest. Not knowing what to say or do in that moment.

Beside him, Rey lay in a similar position, suddenly very interested in checking her nails for any overlooked dirt and cracks. Wanting to concentrate on anything but the fact both of them lay mere inches from each other in clothing barely fit for even the bedroom. Rey's tunic already starting to ride up dangerously close to her ass as she shifted again the  mattress.  Pulling at the uncompromising material under the sheets, she tried to ignore the tingle of pleasure that washed over her as her hand brushed against the length of Ben's arm accidentally. His skin warm and soft to the touch.

Ben jumped a little at the contact, his eyes snapping to hers with a wide-eyed hopefulness. Quietly waiting and wishing for her to do it again. Rey however ignored this unspoken request.

"Sorry, this thing has a mind of its own" Rey grumbled, tugging one more time to adjust the tunic. Purposefully avoiding his body as she shifted away from him, the space between them cold and uninviting.

Ben nodded in response before turning his attention back to the tarnished, grey metal above his head. Eyes guarded as he tried to hide his disappointment.

The silence that settled between them seemed to stretch on into infinity. 

Both on their backs, stiff as boards as they waited for the other to break the deadlock.

Eventually Ben’s patience got the better of him, turning onto his side with a sigh. Reaching out with the Force, he turned off the light. The cabin plunged into immediate darkness, lit here and there with  the  gentle blue light  of the emergency system.

Exhaling again, frustrated at his own gutlessness, Ben closed his eyes and willed sleep to find him quickly.

The sinking feeling in his stomach not something he wanted to dwell on for long.

Maybe he'd been wrong before about Rey, maybe she viewed what had happened earlier as a mistake. Maybe...what he had thought of  romantic interest  had been nothing more than the confused love for a friend. Nothing more than a need for companionship.

It was very possible  all of this had been wishful thinking on his part, especially since  he'd misread so many  signs before  when it came to her.

Rey lay still  beside him  for a long time, staring at the great expanse of his back as her mind ticked over. Confused by his sudden coldness. Listening to the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slowly drifted to sl eep , she found her own  sense of  peace a difficult state to re ach .

Not when her whole being screamed at her to speak, to summon the courage to tell him what she felt.

Knowing her aloofness towards him was doing nothing to help the situation. 

Knowing after all this time, she did not want to waste another second. Not when she knew, unequivocally ,  that she had never wanted  another  person so much in her life.

Only the wait for parents had outstripped the longing she had felt when they had been separated. As though half her being had disappeared into the ether with no return.  Calling her from the beyond, begging to be a whole once more.

Chest heaving and fear crippling her, Rey turned on her side and forced the words out before  her fear  could stop herself.

"Ben" R ey called, her  voice almost a whisper as she spoke . T he suddenness  of her words in the silence behind him , caus ed  Ben to stir  from his slumber,  his shallow breath  grinding  to  a  halt as he came around. 

He did not answer her though.

"Ben...?" Rey said  again,  body inching closer as her breath hit the nape of his neck, tickling it softly.

"What?" Ben muttered tiredly, closing his eyes  again.

 He felt Rey prop herself up on her elbow by his back, the heat of her body radiating against him as she leaned closer.

"I...I wanted to say. ..I  liked it .... today” Rey stuttered shyly, her hands picking at a frayed thread on the mattress sheet as she tried to distract her rising anxiety.

"Liked what?" He yawned  confusedly,  the bedding rustling as he pulled it tighter in his arms. Too drowsy to even anticipate  or care  what she was about to say next.

"Kissing you" 

Ben’s eyes snapped open at this as his heart thumped in his chest. Hi s  face flushed ,  the panic rising in him as he found  his skin suddenly hot and uncomfortable under his t-shirt. Turning his body back towards her, he looked up at  Rey  in surprise. The blue emergency lighting illuminating her worried features in the inky gloom.

"I liked it a lot" she added softly, her eyes dropping for a moment as she blushed.

" Did you...like it too?"

Her face was hopeful despite the apprehension in her voice, searching his eyes for confirmation.

Ben’s throat was bone dry as he tried to find the words to respond. Blood racing through his ears and heart thundering louder in his chest than he had eve r thought possible .

"Yes" he finally replied in a low voice, his blush spreading up his face to reach his ears. Every inch of him feeling faint with the pressure building in his head.

"Good ...I’m glad " Rey sighed with relief, her teeth a bluish white flash on her shadowed face.

Ben didn't respond in kind, his face a mask of passivity. Eventually Rey's brilliant smile slowly faded.  A sense of discomfort falling over them once more.

Rey looked down at him quizzically, her eyes studying his intense stare and uncharacteristic stillness.

Ben offered no further response, his throat bobbing as he swallowed down his anxiety, jaw twitching as he tried to hide his nerves. But Rey saw it, clear as day. Not even needing the Force to see into his mind.

The fearless and fearsome once Supreme Leader  Kylo  Ren, reduced to a quivering boy in the face of her potential rejection of him. Her eyes softened as she looked at him, her smile returning as she looked down at him affectionately.

“Do you know what else I liked?” Rey whispered coyly, her hand slowly inching forward to rest on his cheek. Fingers running over his skin like silk. Ben swallowed again, but shuffled closer  on instinct . His big brown eyes tender as he looked up at her once more , eager to take any affection or attention she would offer him .

“No” he  responded quietly “What did you like?”

Rey’s smile broadened at the thawing of his feigned indifference to her. Seeing what really lay below.

Leaning down to his ear, she whispered the words that stirred something dark and sinful in him.

“I liked seeing your chest again. I liked seeing  all of  you . Every... little...bit ”

Ben choked a little in surprise, eyes widening before a guttural chuckle erupted from his chest. Her flirtatiousness catching him off guard.

“ Oh  you do, do you” his voice rumbled deeply, smirk just about visible in the gloom.

“ Unfortunately  yes...it is true. I can’t deny it” Rey replied archly.

“I am so sorry for the imposition that this caused” he deadpanned, shifting forward to prop himself up to face Rey eye to eye.

Rey smirked at him, the mirth now filling his eyes a welcome relief after his previous apathy .

“It is truly a real imposition ....I  have endured your impromptu nakedness twice now” Rey teased as Ben  flamed  in response.

“Well unfortunately the Force can be fickle in choosing who it embarrasses or...depending on the recipient, who it gifts with such surprises ”  he replied with a sigh of  mock  seriousness as he locked eyes with her.   Reaching up, he ran the back his forefinger down her cheek.

“ I know which one I’d rather be” he added huskily, leaving no question in Rey’s mind what he meant.

The air around them crackled with frisson as there little  tete  a  tete  edge closer to something altogether more intense.  Rey’s smile widened as a devilish idea crossed into her mind. Her inhibitions momentarily lifted as  she  felt Ben’s eyes drifted across her body unconsciously. 

“ Then  I think it’s time we even things up a little.” Rey said quietly. Ben’s brow furrowed in confusion, finding himself pushed back into the mattress and pinned to the bed by the Force before he could even blink.

Rey was on him in a second, straddling his hips with her legs as she  impulsively pulled the tunic off her body in one swift motion. Utterly forgetting that she had no underclothes beneath to maintain some hint of modesty.

"See now we're even! There is nothing to be embarrassed about  or feel cheated over  anymore!"  Rey purred at him,  his great chest rising in shock beneath her.

The  dark haired  man, however, did not have the words to respond in agreement or dissent. Her spontaneity having taken his breath away.

Ben ’s  brain short circuit ed  as he  looked up at her bare torso, never seeing anything so stunning in his life. His breath stuttered in his chest, mouth falling open in stupefaction as he looked at the perfect swell of her pert, small breasts and toned narrow waist. The rosy pink of her firm nipples  clear  to him even in the dark. Every inch of her skin golden and scattered with delicate, adorable freckles. He did not dare look down any further than her hips, the thought of her exposed sex pressed to him so closely was more than enough to cause his dick to harden painfully in  reply.

He was awestruck.

Rey had expected to throw him off guard by stripping off her tunic, but his current spluttering, incoherent mumbling was not something she had predicted. He looked like he was having a stroke!

Something was not right.

“Oh God’s” Rey exclaimed loudly as she looked down to find herself stark naked.

How could she have forgotten she had removed her breast band and pants!

Rey's face  went  crimson ,  the blush spreading all the way to her chest. She release d Ben in an instant  and start ed  to  scramble  off him in  hurried  humiliation . Furious  at her impulsiveness.

 Ben snapped out of his stupor  as he felt her move , lurching forward  to  grasp her hips  and  stop her desperate escape.

 “Don’t  ….please .” he begged quietly, his hands  sliding  her on to  his lap as he sat up in awe.  At first Rey tried to halfheartedly break his grip, squirming against his unyielding hold with a deep frown. But as she caught the look in his dark eyes as her gaze flitted to meet his, the reverence and passion she found as he stared at her made her heart leap. The instinct to struggle against his hold stalling in the face of his sheer adoration of her.

“Please” Ben repeated, lip quivering in desperation as he saw her indecision and impulse to push him away again.  Rey nodded in grudging acceptance after a long second,  the fight within her dying as she gave into him . 

Still blushing, she avoided Ben’s gaze as  she  crossed her  arms  across her  chest  to  cover her exposed breasts .

The young Solo’s eyes brightened as he looked at her, smiling softly as he took in every inch of her skin he could see. Committing every freckle and scar to memory, searing the image of her there so beautiful above him. Light and love personified.

Rey’s face remained a deep shade of pink as his eyes roved over her without restraint. Every time his depthless brown eyes caught  her’s  she tore her gaze away from him, unable to take the utter heat that crept up her spine every time they met.

Despite her shame and aversion to his fixation on her body, Rey did not try or want to stop him. Ben sat up further as he watched her, his hands skimming up her hips and over her skin to rest on her forearms.

Rey shivered in response, skittishly catching his eyes as her chest heaved, his face suddenly closer than she’d expected.  She shook a little as he gently pulled her arms apart and away from her body, his eyes never leaving hers even when she tried to look away. Somehow avoiding the urge to ogle her lovely assets once more.

"Don't" He whispered huskily , lifting one of his hands to cup her cheek. Turning her face until her eyes held his gaze again, this time finding Rey's maintained their connection, hazel boring into his with intent. Even as he let go of her other arm, Rey remained still, unable to find the resolve to cover herself again.

Running his thumb over her cheek bone as he smiled at her in disbelief, he was unsure if he would suddenly wake to find this was just another lustful, sordid dream.

Yet no dream in his simple, little mind could conjure such a vision.

"My God's, you are beautiful. "  Ben whispered honestly, caressing her cheek once more as his other hand brushed her hair away from her face.

"Stop" Rey  replied harshly, fixing him a hard stare as her voice  cracked “ Please don’t”.

Her eyes pleading with him not to raise her hopes too high.

" Please don’t what?  "  he mumbled warmly, unfazed by her sudden hostility.

“Please don’t tell me I’m beautiful when I know I’m not. You don’t need to...” Rey began, her speech faltering as Ben leaned closer, brushing his nose against hers as her breath quickened. Every  fibre  of her being begging him to kiss her again. Body aching to touch his skin, for him to touch her now in ways she had never known before.

“Don’t need to what?” he murmured, soft plush lips hovering just above hers. Rey pressed her forehead against his as she exhaled loudly, her hands suddenly finding purchase on Ben’s soft cotton t-shirt.  Clutching the material in her hands as she pulled him closer, the air that separated their eager mouths almost negligible.

“You don’t need to make me something I’m not” she mumbled sadly “Not when I’m sure you have seen all the Galaxy has to offer.”

Ben exhaled harshly at this, a frown gracing his features.

Grasping her face in both his hands, Ben pulled back a little so he could look deep into her forlorn eyes.

“Rey...you are more beautiful than every other  kriffing  person I have ever met put together. I see you exactly as you are”.

Tears began to prick at her eyes as she digested his words, still not fully believing them.

But for now, it was all she needed to hear.

Rey  pressed their foreheads together once more,  brush ing  her nose against his in  the only reply he ever hoped to receive, she closed her eyes. Pausing just short of kissing him, she stroked the back of his neck, urging him on. Ben took the invitation willingly, turning his head just enough to meet her lips with his own.

Open mouth and without restraint.

Rey kissed him back like she were drowning, all-consuming and with reckless abandon. Holding him closer and tighter with a strength he never knew she possessed. Arms rushing to wrap around his neck, legs tightening on his waist as she pushed back down onto the mattress. Ben responded in kind, hands pushing against her back as he crushed her to his chest.

Pushing and pulling against one another in sync like the tide upon the sand. Lips  colliding  and clashing as they poured every last unspoken thing into that kiss.

Knowing there would be no going back now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are about the get nasty on the Falcon....who's up for some awkward deflowering?  
> Hope you all enjoy the next update :)


	7. The 4th Night Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben had up close and personal.  
> Sparks will fly and virginity's will be lost.  
> Space nerds will have lots of fun in the Falcon bunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING- this chapter contains explicit sexual situations.  
> Thank you all for all your support thus far and for all the comments and Kudos last chapter!
> 
> So this is my first attempt in a long time at writing smut. Sex scenes are not my strong point but I felt the story has been building towards this for a while. Also who doesn't like a little bit of down and dirty now and again.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the read, it was a lot longer and more sensual than intended! 
> 
> It's 8,000 words of foreplay and fucking- how did that happen!
> 
> I am updating this at 3am UK time so please forgive any grammatical errors and spelling mistake!
> 
> If you like the story please comment or send me Kudos :)
> 
> *Re-upload due to edits.

Ben was dead.

There was no other explanation. He had died on the battlefield in  Crait , or at very least, was in the process of dying on some far-flung planetary system, alone and without hope  of  recover y . Because there  was no  conceivable  way, in any known  galaxy or dimension ,  what was happening , what he was doing that night  was real. These blissful, heat laden sensations clearly the work of his last moments of life, oxygen choked brain delirious and remorseless in its last fantasies.

He had to be dead. 

For- he knew.

There was no higher power or greater force that would allow a reprobate like him to feel the things he felt in that dark, intimate cabin.  The object of his unyielding and unending affection and obsession, sprawled across his increasingly breathless chest, her mouth caressing his with kisses so deep and sweet he wanted to drown in her lips.

   
It couldn’t be real.

He was kissing Rey.

He was kissing Rey as  they lay  in a bed together.

He was kissing Rey as  they lay  in a bed together and she was naked.

As the day she was born.

He was kissing Rey as they  lay  in  a bed together and she was naked as the day she was born, grinding against his thighs as she lost herself to her own desires.

Ben had not dared move his hands from where they rested chastely against the middle of her back, perfectly content to running his fingers up and down the ridges of her spine as she arched over him. Skin silky and electric against his.

His inexperience stealing his confidence  and  terrif ying him not  to push things further ,  despite  the  increasingly hard to ignore impulse to rut up into her.

Rey’s arms had not moved from around his head either, gripping his hair as she angled his face closer, tongues sliding against one another as Ben groaned in response. The noise  loudly  escaping from his mouth as he pulled back to catch his breath.

Panting against his gasping mouth, breathing easing to a less frantic pace in their temporary separation, Rey's closed eyes slowly opened. Ben's hungry dark eyes meeting them with a look so intense it made a ripple of anticipation roll up her spine. Skin that was already aching to be touched, prickled with fire as his pupil blown stare caused another drop in her gut. A roll of something hot and insistent throbbing deep inside her.   


The heat from his broad hands at the small of her back, fingers coaxing and teasing against the skin there, no longer enough stimulation for her increasingly overwrought senses.

Her body aflame and wanting more.

Needing more.

Seeking a friction only he could provide.

Yet he held back underneath her, his body shaking with nervous energy despite the desirous and frankly animal look in his eyes.   


Rey knew just how much he wanted her, that much was evident from the hot press of his hardening length against her bare  hip . 

His actions however remained minimal despite his lascivious thoughts.

Rey blushing as she sensed his lust stained musings through the Force, her mind filling with illicit images and fantasies.   


Her heart thundering in response to his sheer desire for her.

She was done waiting.

Leaning back on her thighs until she was almost in a seated position, she moved her hands from Ben’s head towards the hem of his t-shirt without a word. Ben's eyes widened at sight of her above him, hips jerking involuntarily as her hot, and increasingly damp core brushed against his groin. His trepidatious gaze flicking down to her supple, small breasts and up to her lips with a look of pure want. Glancing down at him curiously as his pelvis twitched again reflexively at the movement of her body against him, she rolled her hips once more, pressing down more purposefully on the turgid bulge in his pants. Watching with a small smug smile as his pupil dilated further, mouth falling open as he let out a soft gasp. His arms falling to his side as he clenched his hands into fists. Willing his libido to calm a little.   


Oh kriff, she was going to ruin him tonight.

Ben blinked again rapidly as he looked up her, trying to recover his composure as his cock throbbed in protest at her teasing. Throat bobbing as he swallowed deeply, scanning her unclothed form again greedily as she stared at him.

 God's she was a vision, bared to him and flushed from head to toe. Lips bruised and swollen from their kisses; eyes boring into his with more desire then he'd ever deserved.   


The Force crackled around them, energy building into a crescendo the longer they stared at one another. The emergency lighting in the Captain's quarters flickering and suddenly brightening as Rey's hands ventures under the hem of Ben's t-shirt. Hands pressing against the hard planes of his stomach for a long moment, fingers ghosting up his skin as she slid his shirt up. The muscle there jumping visible as she ventured higher.

Their eye contact finally breaking as Rey’s inquisitive nature was stoked and taken elsewhere.   


The warm softness of skin sending sparks up her arms, her own breath halting for a moment at the sheer beauty of him. The expanse of his broad torso littered here and there by small raised scars and moles 

Pausing at his chest, Reys hands caressed each large, firm pectoral. Her attention enraptured by the rapid rise and fall of his breast under the soft, pale skin of his chest. Running her hand over his breast bone once more, she felt his heart thundering in his chest. Thumb trailing the twisting sabre scar she had given him up the right-hand side of his body.

The bunched material of his shirt blocking her path to his gulping throat.

Tracing her eyes back up to his face, she found Ben flushed crimson. Eyes begging her to touch him until he fell apart below her.   


Rey slid her hands down his sides, pulling at his t-shirt more insistently as she silently demand ed  its removal. Ben snapped into action, lifting his arms and yanking the offending article off with an eager grunt. The crumpled cotton shirt landing at the far end of the dark cabin with a near silent thud.

Ben’s eyes were fixed once more on her face, frozen a moment as he waited for her to start her ministrations again. Rey instead leaned over him, arms akimbo across his body. Her nipples hanging just above his now exposed chest, tantalizing close to grazing his eager skin. Holding herself above him, refusing to bridge the distance despite her obvious craving to touch him again.

Smiling smugly at him as she dared  Ben  to make the next move. So close, yet so far away it was tormentable.

Ben’s eyes darkened at this, jaw working as his nostrils flared. Her teasing driving him crazy.

Nerves  forgotten;  his patience was driven to the brink.

Suddenly grasping Rey’s hips, he thrust her up, using his momentum to switch their positions with a haughty smirk. The action so quick and out of the blue, Rey barely had time to gasp before she found herself on her back underneath him.

Eye’s wide in surprise, it was her turn to gulp as Ben leaned in closer. Their chests now pressed deliciously against one another, Ben shivering as her breasts skimmed his skin. Smirk never leaving his face.

His fingers ghosted up her sides, watching as her eyes fluttered in response to his touch. Rey’s lips parting as he ran his fingers over her ribs, tracing a taunting line below the round underside of her right breast. Eyes glazing over as his touch sent another roll of heat down into space between her thighs. The small area of open nerves, pinned  below  his slowly  rolling  hips.

Testing and teasing her limits. 

Huffing out an uneven but contended sigh as he met her eyes again , Ben c ock ed  his head to the side as he regarded her underneath hi m. T he sun kissed  expanse  of skin in front of  him  almost too much to take. Every inch  on show  a space he wanted to claim and explore with his hands and tongue.

“You’re too  karking  beautiful you know that.” he rumbled affectionately, eyes shifting again to her lips. Aching to kiss her once more. Rey dazed expression shifted somewhat as she took in his words.

“Ever the charmer  Mr  Solo, you’re not too bad yourself” she murmured back arching, biting enticingly on her plump bottom lip. Composure returning as she ran her hands up his back, palms pushing against the back of his neck as she arched her face up to his. Guiding him down to her open and hungry mouth, tongues slipping together like jigsaw pieces. 

Each kiss initially a slow and sensual caress, lips brushing and teasing until their passions became too strong to ignore. The frenzy and  fervour  that built, biting and bruising as they began to move against one another.  Ben unable to stop himself from thrusting his now rock - hard cock against her bare sex, the pleased groan that rumbled from her throat encourag ing  him to do it again. Her legs rising  up  to wrap around his hips, pulling him closer as her  hands  gripped at his shoulder blades. The full caress of his upper body across her sensitive peaks the sharpest of pleasures. 

She wanted him to touch her there. For his warm mouth to close around her breasts and relieve the terrible pressure that was rising inside.

Ben’s hands remained by her shoulder s  as he tried to avoid placing his entire weight on her, daring to only let his hand wander to rest at the base her throat.

He was desperate  to take things further now Rey had begun to respond to his thrusts with movements of her own.  The heat of her against him through his still present sleep pant utter torture.

 Ben  f ound  his courage lacking once more.

The old, icy grip of self-conscious jealous slowly creeping up on him.

Distracting him and striking fear into his heart.

How many others had Rey found such highs with in their absence? 

How many other s  had she found comfort in ,  on those long ,  lonely and fear-stricken nights?

Had she shared moments like this with  Dameron ?

Had he known her kiss like Ben had?

“No” Rey huffed indignantly against his mouth , eyes flashing  between breaths.

“No what?” Ben wheezed with  utter  confusion as he tried to kiss her again.

Rey turned her face away from him in r esponse , pushing against his chest to get  his  attention fully. Her eyes guarded  as the expanded the space between them

“ N o  I never  lay with Poe  Dameron . ” she spat back coldly

Ben’s face drained of  colour  as he choked on his breath.

“ Www... ha t ?  Ho....ow?” he stuttered.

“Your thoughts are too loud Solo. I heard everything.” Rey growled, eyes not amused by  his  assumptions and suspicions.

“O h... ” he muttered shamefully, his eyes falling in embarrassment.

“For the record  Dameron  tried to kiss me once and I knocked him on his ass.  So ,  you can stop fixating on it now” Rey added touchily, her eyes growing angry.

The awkward silence stretched on as Ben was at a loss at what to say.

Knowing this was his  clear  opportunity to apologize for questioning her  honour . 

But of course, he was his father's son, hardheaded and single minded as a  Chandrilian  Ass.

“The Traitor? What about him ? ” he asked woundedly, heart thumping again as his whole world rested on her answer.  Rey rolled her eyes at him, eyes narrowing.

“Y ou mean Finn?  You can’t be serious” she spluttered.

Ben pouted at her as he nodded. 

“ No  Ben” Rey sighed tiredly, trying not let her irritation at his petulance grow  “Finn  loved Rose ”

His eyes brightened at this, the tension in his gut loosening as his anxiety dimmed.

“ Then...you ...” Ben began, licking his lip as steeled himself to continue

“ You're the only one Ben ” Rey said evenly, her temper easing as she saw his genuine relief.

“G ood. ....I guess. That’s good” he breathed out in a rush, his dark  coloured  eyes softening into liquid chocolate as he looked at her.

“I’m glad” his deep voice whispered, a soft smile replacing his nervous apprehension. Rey rolled her eyes at him again, a smirk replacing her look of exasperation.

“You’re an idiot Solo” she teased, brushing his hair away from his face.

“I know, I’m sorry” Ben chuckled in reply, cheeks pinking in the soft lights of the cabin.

“I don’t know why it would even bother you that much” Rey shook her head again with a mocking sigh.

“I’m sure not every single one of your lovers was without experience”

Her own eyes darkening despite the light hearted tone.

“What lovers?” Ben  scoffed,  brow furrowed in a deep frown.

“From before, as Supreme Leader. I’m sure you could have  been offered....tributes...or gifts... of sort” Rey answered blankly, her own confusion growing.

“No I didn’t..... it is true  company was presented occasionally but....none of those girls held much of my attention.” he shrugged , tone open and honest.

“So... you’ve never...” Rey started, her hesitancy mirroring  Ben’s.

“No” he answered quietly, thumb running up the column of her throat gently.

 "Why?  You could have anyone you wanted!  ” she spluttered in  surprise,  large hazel eyes wide as she looked at him.

" Because n one of them were  you” Ben replied earnestly “Why would I waste myself on anyone else?”

Rey blinked up at him in shock, his words slowly sinking in. Looking down for a moment as she processed what this meant, she met his enigmatic smirk with a beaming smile of her own.  A great weight she didn’t know she’d been carrying lifting from her shoulders, her soul beginning to soar.  Running her hands over his face again Ben’s breath stuttered as she looked up at him in a way, he had never seen from anyone before. 

A warmth and affection for him that exceeded every one of his hopes by tenfold.

By the God’s he wanted her more  at that moment  than he could ever express.

Rey’s face flushed as she caught his thoughts again through the bond, Ben’s own blush deepening. The flames of their passions reigniting as she reflected his burning  desire  back at him. Cracking opening her defenses so Ben could see the torrent of lust that flowed below.

 Without breaking their eye contact Rey swallowed her embarrassment and reached for his hand resting by her  throat . Pushing passed her lingering panic to move his hand down her body, her smaller hand guiding his large palm to press down again her waiting breast. Ben’s eyes widened, his chocolate irises disappearing as his pupils expanded to fill the space as he felt her nipple pebble to attention under his palm. Her body squirming as he squeezed the ample flesh instinctively.

Ben’s face was open and full of wonder as he squeezed her gently again. Rey's breath coming out hot and fast in response to his tentative touches. A deep groan rising from the depths of her lungs as his skimmed his thumb over the silky surface of her nipple. Dusky pink skin puckering further into a stiff, sensitive peak. Devilish intensity brewed in his darkening gaze as he pressed harder. Desire rising up from his core, making him braver. Reaching over across her chest, he repeated the same action on her other breast. Watching with interest as Rey pushed into his touch. Bottom lip crushed beneath incisors, as she bit down violently to hold back another groan. Her eyelashes fluttered as he ran his fingers across her skin, broad hand squeezing and kneading more confidently this time, as his palm covered the arching swell of her.

The air around them crackling as the Force shifted from light and dark again,  colours  seeming to flash in the gloom as Ben’s fingers brushed over Rey. Once more the blue emergency lighting  in the cabin  brighte ned  and dimm ed  as energy surged through them into the atmosphere.

The taut muscles of Rey’s stomach jumped  in response to  Ben’s brief caresses and inquisitive eyes, goose bumps erupting as his fingers trailed down the length of her torso to the edge of her hip. Fire building under her skin, the ache within deepening.

However, his explorations were unexpectedly cut short. A loud exhale escaping his mouth as the pressure on her chest ceased.

Rey huffed out in frustration as his hand returned to just under her chin, turning her flushing cheeks towards his gaze.

Brow s f urrow ed  as he pondered his next move, studying her increasingly aroused body.

"Rey...I have no idea what to do next" he said quietly after a long moment, a blush flashing across his pale face. Eyes averting shyly as her gaze softened. Irritation forgotten.   


Reaching up to his face, she forced his eyes back her.   


"Don't think, just feel. Do what feels right." She answered soothingly.

"But what if I do something wrong" he murmured back " what if you don't like it"

Shooting him a smirk she laughed.

"Believe me, I will tell you if you do!"

Ben's face remained dark, his uncertainty  causing  him second thoughts. Rey ran her fingers along his jaw, pausing to tilt his face to meet hers.

"For the record, you are doing great so far. Scarily great actually" she whispered, looking  up  at  him  with a coy smile.

Ben’s eyes widened, a short burst of surprised laughter leaving his chest.   
“You are little Lothcat you know that, such a tease.” he purred in response, leaning down to kiss her again deeply. Rey smiled against his mouth, hands tangling in his dark hair as she kissed him back eagerly.

“Yeah, I know” she goaded back between breathes, feeling him push his now impossibly rigid cock against her with more force. Losing his control little by little as they grinded against one another, his  big  hips pressing deliciously  on  her pubic bone as he thrust h is cloth covered groin against her. Any further jibes dying in her throat as oxygen stuttered from her mouth in response, an unexpected ripple of pleasure curling from her core like a shot of electricity.

Ben pitched his hips into her again as he read her thoughts, a rush of sensations exploding across the bond. Rey shivering underneath him as her arousal grew, the dampness between her thigh a thick, sticky mess against Ben’s pajama’s.

Kriff  did he want to be inside her, yet he was sure it would be a disaster at this point.

Ben was so close to  cumming  already, pent up  beyond reasonable  recourse ju st  with dry humping.

It didn’t stop him from pressing on.

Resting his forehead again Rey’s so they could catch their breath, he licked his lips before speaking.

“I want to try something, if you don’t mind?” he said softly, pulling back a little. Rey merely nodded in assent, eager for him to continue.

Gulping once more, he blinked rapidly before shifting down slightly.

Rey’s own pulse jumping as his plush mouth pressed a hot, tentative kiss to her neck. Eyes flicking to her face to gauge her reaction, Ben paused before pressing another hot kiss a little lower on her neck, holding the pose longer this time. By the third kiss to her neck, Rey’s hands had found his hair again. Head turning the opposite direction to give him better access as she shivered at the contact. As Ben’s mouth found the sensitive apex  between  her neck and collar bone, he let his teeth graze the skin.  Licking  the salt  and distinctive  flavour  of her  gently  as he sucked her skin  with an audible pop. Rey groaned in reply.

“Oh God’s, Ben do that again”

The dark eyed man grinned smugly, but said nothing as he willingly fulfilled her request. One of his hands slipping down to grasp at her heaving breast. Her groan even louder this time as he ran his tongue over the bruising skin of her flushed neck.

Doing as she had previously suggested, he didn’t think, but acted on instinct. Doing what felt right.

Trailing a hot, eager mouth down passed her collar bone and onto her chest , he kissed her hungrily . Never once pausing again for permission. 

His desperate lips closing over the hard peak of her nipple before he even knew what he was doing. Groaning as he ran his tongue over it.

Rey mewled in response  as her hips bucked , the hands in his hair forcing him down again.

Demanding he repeat his explorations.

Ben switched his attention to her aching other side, warm, wet tongue circling her nipple with a growl. Plush lips pulling her deep into his mouth, the slight graze of his teeth against her skin an explosion of sensations. His hands adding extra stimulation as he squeezed the tender flesh he had neglected, thumb sweeping over the hard nub  of her nipple  with an  un explained confidence.

Ben eath  him, Rey’s already thinly held control was starting to slip. Her mind cracking wide open as he played her body like a Naboo Lute, plucking her resistance until she wailed like a song bird. The lascivious nature of her wants making Ben groan in reply again her soft chest, hips bucking into the mattress. No relief found there for either party.

Rey couldn’t take it anymore. She needed something she didn’t even have the words to express. A throbbing,  encumbering insistence from the deepest part of her. Demanding all of Ben in that moment.

As he continued to elevate her higher and higher in pleasure, her thoughts narrowed into a single-minded focus. Only one solution would satisfy it seemed.

Her  own  lack of experience and the rush of endorphins in her bloodstream ,  seeing only one remedy to her malady.

Reaching down, she pulled Ben away from her now flushed chest and up towards her face. His eyes widening in bewilderment as he met her darkened stare. Brow furrowing as he tried to figure just where he had gone wrong. How he had frustrated her so.

Rey arched upwards, stormy hazel eyes fixing him a determined look.

“Take off your  kriffing  pants. Now” she demanded through almost gritted teeth, voice shaking with sheer exhilaration.

Ben blinked rapidly at her, taken aback by her sudden aggression. Yet he said nothing in reply.

Simply rolling off of her to stand up he concluded it was best not to attempt removing his pajama’s lying down, lest they get tangled. Rey didn’t seem to be in a patient mood.

Turning away from her with an awkward cough, the act of removing his pants a lot less erotic act than he thought it would be at the start of this interlude. Grunting as he finally pulled the last of the stubborn material off his big feet, Ben finally turned back to the bed. Choking loudly, the breath in his throat gone as his gaze fell on Rey . Her body  crouched unexpectedly on all fours in front of him.  Looking over her shoulder expectantly at him,  she arched  the  round  swell of her beautiful ass higher. Pressing out towards his already straining, twitching cock  with visible enthusiasm .

Rey swallowed as she eyed his pulsing erection, a deep rumble of nervous anticipation finding its way down her gut. Something ancient and primal overtaking her brain as she watched him there in all his naked glory. Huge and powerful from head to toe as he stood in the blue gloom, pale skin aglow in the low light. Pressing her thighs together, she tried to stop her heart leaping out of her chest with the sheer strength of her attraction to him. Ben’s toned body once more a welcome surprise that drove her biological drives crazy.

Ben’s own instincts were in total disarray as his h ungry  eyes  ran  over the beautiful image of her there. The dimples in her back divine as she curved her spine to entice him further.

Bare, ready and wet for him, the lower lips of her body almost as flushed as the skin on her cheeks. Aching to be touched by his willing  hands .

 Ben couldn’t help but take himself in his hand, running his fingers down the hard length of his erection. The instinct to just plow himself into her waiting flesh almost too strong for him to ignore.

But....it was wrong. This situation.

 Looking down at his own throbbing member he knew. 

He  would  hurt her like this.

More had to be done to prepare.

Seeing Ben’s hesitancy Rey huffed loudly with impatience.

“Maker, just come here already.”

Ben stepped closer before pausing again, discomfort flashing across his face.

Rey eyes narrowed in reply, humiliation twisting in her gut. 

“I swear to the  Gods;  you better not be backing out now” she growled angrily.

“Don’t be absurd, do you have any idea how hard I am right now” Ben snorted with a dark  humour , pointing at his now almost purple erection.

“Well I would understand very quickly if you’d just hurry up and put the  kriffing  thing in!” Rey spat back at him, desire very quickly bleeding into anger. Blood already hot in her veins.

Ben’s face was almost puce at her coarse words, his own indignation rising in reply.

“I would, but...not like this!” he spluttered in reply, gesturing to the suggestive position she had set herself in.

“Like what?” Rey scoffed, puzzled by his reticence.

“Like a karking  Happobore  Rey!” Ben exclaimed, finding no better way to describe this.

“At least not the first time” he added quietly, admiring her backside one more time. Rey squirmed under his scrutiny, how his dark eyes swept over her body with such hunger making the ache between her thighs unbearable.  Face flaming at her own ignorance.

Her lack of adult experience all the more pronounced in situations like this.

“What other ways are there to do it?” Rey asked quietly, nervous again all of a sudden. Ben’s eyes softened again as he met hers, understanding all at once how things had gotten so skewed. Reys limited  Jakku  education in the aspects of human love,  colouring  her idea of normality somewhat.

“Many Rey. There are many” he replied softly, walking closer to the raised lobes of her ass. Running his fingers over her cheeks with a shiver. Rey gulped at the contact ;  her lovely hazel eyes suddenly unsure.

“Well I choose this way.” she said firmly, turning away from him to face the opposite wall. Immovable and unwilling to consider any other alternative.  This was the only eventuality she had ever prepared for, all other options now seeming unsatisfactory.

“Either put it in or leave. It’s your choice. Because I cannot take this anymore” she sighed unhappily.

Behind her, Ben stood stock still, long fingers remaining at the base of her back ,  at a loss as what to do next. Wanting desperately to relieve himself of this terrible tension, but knowing, it was not yet time. 

While his experience with women was basically non-existent save this blissful encounter, he unlike Rey had received some practical sexual education as a boy.

 His father’s  own  unorthodox educational style being a simple man to man talk at age 12 and the gifting of what would later be called the most salacious  holofilm  ever produced . The latter film then  serv ing  as his  sole  instructional guide on how to please women. 

At the time he had not appreciated t he gravity of its instruction. B ut now, in the situation he found himself in now, he was eternally grateful for ‘the Erotic Adventures of Captain Burro.’

Drawing on his memories and with a smug grin, he knew exactly what to do .

Taking her by surprise, Ben leaned over her body. Draping the full length of his torso against her back, his now rigid cock pressed hotly against the wet expanse of her core. The contact making Rey jump and then groan as Ben gently thrusted his hips forward and back in slow, steady motion. His left hand snaked down to grasp one of her breasts, palm covering her warm flesh as he clasped harder. Rey exhaled heavily as the weight of his cock brushed the length of her core, head nudging against some where  she  never knew  could feel so good.

“God’s Ben, just put it in already” she whimpered, biting at her lip as she pushed back in time with his rocking hips.

“Soon sweetheart, very soon” he murmured in her ear, deep voice reverberating down her back as he spoke.

Kissing and gently biting at the back of her neck, Ben slid his other hand  down  from her hip,  skating  passed her stomach to rest just above the mound between her thighs.

“You trust me, right?” he whispered as he devoured the skin by her ear, silently asking permission before moving further.

Rey gasped as his left hand continued to play with her tit, lost for a moment in the sensation. Silent in response to his question.

“Rey...do you trust me ? ” Ben asked more insistently, rising a little from her shoulders.

“ Yes.  Always” she whimpered finally , leaning further into his hot length.

“Good” he chuckled smugly, making her shake from head to toe as his hand dipped lower, long fingers  gliding  passed her dark curls to find the source of her frustrations. The  disgruntled  nub at her apex ,  throbbing with relief as his fingers gently stroked up and down, sparks of pleasure licking at the periphery of her consciousness.

“Oh Maker” Rey whined, bucking against him as his fingers rubbed more insistently. Ben smiled against his shoulder as he grinded on her more forcefully, thoroughly enjoying the sound of coming apart underneath him. However, his thigh s  w ere  starting to burn from trying to hold his weight off  her . The squat position  he had found himself in  not  an  ideal  way  to see this out to the end.  The threat of cramping up an ache he couldn’t ignore for long.

Shifting his grip from her breast to wrap around her slim waist, Ben lifted her up and switched their position  in a blink . Her weight almost nothing in his arms  as he rearranged them on the bed . The burn in his thighs easing as soon as he s ank  back against the wall of the bunk

“Hey!” Rey complained loudly as she found herself now resting between Ben’s long, muscular legs, facing away from him. Squirming for a minute to turn in his grasp , she tried furiously to  regain control  of the situation.

“Trust me” Ben growled, arm wrapping around her tightly for a second. Pressing her back against his chest with an unwavering single-mindedness. He would finish what he started.

Struggling against his vice grip for a moment, she eventually gave in and flopped back against his chest.

“Fine” Rey huffed, shifting against his groin in petulance. 

Ben’s strangled grunts of pleasure at her well-aimed squirms giving her all the satisfaction she needed.

Reaching down again to caress her lower lips, he snorted audibly at her childishness.

“Such a tempestuous little  Lothcat  you are” he teased, his other hand skimming up her torso to turn her face towards his. Her eyes  as  dark with irritation at him as there was  heated  lust.

“You’re taunting me, what do you expect!” she spat back, cheeks coloring as his speed picked up  between her thighs . Breathing growing erratic as her arousal grew. Instead of rising to her bait, he leaned  forward  and kissed her languidly, pride expanding as she groaned in his mouth.

"There are other ways to get what you need" Ben growled seductively in her ear as he pulled back, fingers dipping lower, testing the resistance at her  centre . Gauging her limitations and what she would allow him to explore. Rey did nothing to stop him, instead surging forward to engage him in a kiss so deep he almost forgot his own name.

His fingers stilling for a beat in surprise at her boldness. Her bottom rising up and pitching against his ever eager but unyielding member, thrusting against his hand as it clamped down on her mound.

“Do that again” Rey purred on lips, hips tilting as he rolled against her backside  in response . 

Ben simply smirked, kissing her once more with no restraint.   A deep growl of enjoyment rising his throat. Doubling his efforts, Rey panted between his persistent assaults on her mouth.  His forefinger stroking the inside of her as his thumb rolled over her throbbing clit. 

Rey grasped at his hand  with her own  in response as a roll of intense heat filled her, muscles she didn’t even know she had inside ,  her quivering  with  his movements. The heady rush of impeding release and pleasure flooding every  fibre  of her being. Thrice the strength of the exhilaration she had glimpse d  through Ben the day before.

He could feel it too, the fluttering beginnings of her orgasm through the bond. Barely holding his own composure together as Force vibrated every sensation from her body into his. Coupled by Rey’s increasingly loud, pleased moans as she writhed against his hand. Butt rubbing against his cock as she thrusted her hips in time to his ministrations. He wasn’t going to last long.

“Don’t you dare stop Ben” Rey whined, leaning her head against his chest as she arched in ecstasy. Ben now  thrusting his into  her in earnest as he slid a third finger passed her defenses. The wet squelch of his fingers through her flesh an obscene sound in the otherwise quiet cabin.

“Never” he grunted in reply, mouth closing over her neck as he hid his own groans against her hair.

She was so close he could feel it, small hands reaching up behind her to grasp at his face and neck. Breath stuttering as she reached the precipice.

“ Oh  Maker Ben” Rey whimpered as everything tensed and released in quick succession. All thoughts in her head freezing as her whole being whited out for a second. Breath stolen and no noise needed for what had been given.

Ben was blinded by the light that surged from her as she came  upon him , the whole of the Force swirling in response. The once flickering lights in the cabin, bursting into brief blue brilliance as the energy exploding from Ben and Rey ruptured bulb after bulb.

 Clinging to Rey, Ben felt all of the universe shifting several nanometers to the left as his own resolve cracked, the hot, wet release of his  spend  strip ed  up Rey’s back  and his stomach . Panting against her still heaving shoulders, he cradled her to his chest, totally awestruck.

“Ben...” Rey began in wonderment “How’d you...I mean....what..”

She paused, unable to find the words to voice her astonishment at what he’d done to her body.

Instead choosing to resolve another pressing matter.

“Ben, please call you help me with my back?” she asked bashfully.  Gently removing his arms from around her waist as she slowly extracted herself from his grasp.

Turning to face him, she was struck again by how handsome he truly was. Usually pallid cheeks a rosy pink in his post- orgasmic glow. Eyes glassy and gentle as he looked back at her, chest rising up and down at an increased pace as he tried to catch his breath. Despite what he had just accomplished with her, he looked unsure and lost.

“What...?” he croaked after a longer than needed moment. His unfocused gaze sharpening as he finally caught up with her request.

“My back, please can you help me...” Rey began, cheeks flushing again as the reality of what they had done overwhelming her.

Ben’s own face turned beet red as he blinked rapidly.

“Oh course” he mumbled awkwardly, leaning forward to clumsily retrieve her discarded tunic.

Pausing at her shoulder, he swallowed loudly as his gaze fell on the mess he’d made on her back.

 “I’m sorry about the...” 

“It’s okay, I’m sure you didn’t mean to do it” Rey laughed weakly, attempting to regain her sense of balance in the face of this uncomfortable situation. 

Carefully wiping the soft cotton garment over the offending liquid on her back, Ben frowned in disgrace.

“No, I didn’t.” he answered quietly.

Rey didn’t say anything else to him after that as he continued to work, allowing the silence to stretch on endlessly. Clearing his throat after a moment, he gently pushed her off his lap once he finished the clean-up for both of them, sliding his body out from behind her.

“I think, maybe we should try to sleep now” Ben said quietly, his legs hanging over the edge of the bed as he avoided looking at her. Ashamed at what he’d done.

Rey looked at him blankly, watching as he turned his embarrassment in on himself. The shame festering into self-hatred and dark disappointment. Staring at his hands, he couldn’t find the courage to look back at her.

Browing furrowing, a determined set formed on her jaw.

She would not let him turn this beautiful night into an apparent failure in his misguided mind.

Shuffling forward on her knees, Rey rested her forehead against the middle of his broad shoulders, arms wrapping around his thick middle.

“If you think in that foolish head of yours, I’m going to let you go to sleep after everything you just made me feel, you are more stupid than I ever gave you credit for.” Rey teased as she kissed the tensed knot of muscle at the center of his shoulder blades.

“You still owe me Ben Solo” she added with a flirtatious purr.

Ben’s whole body stiffened at this, a stuttering exhale wracking his chest as he sat up straight up.

“Owe you what?” he whispered huskily, already knowing the answer.

Shifting again, Rey slid out of the bed to face him. Ben’s eyes wide and hesitant as he drank in the sight of her lovely form as if it was the  first time  again.

Rey’s lips curled into an enticing grin as she fixed Ben with her fiendish gaze. 

“You know exactly what” her voice low and seductive, tilting his chin so he could not avoid her eyes. The timbre of her words as they rolled from her tongue so bewitching Ben could feel his cock beginning to stir once more. The rapidness of its recovery a total shock to his system. Yet he wasn’t entirely surprised, for such was his thirst for her, he couldn’t help his natural reaction when she looked at him like that. 

Offering herself up so willingly.

Seeing the look in his forlorn chocolate eyes shift into something altogether more predatory was the only invitation Rey needed.

Smirking at him, she closed the short distance between their bodies without another word. Straddling his hips as she brushed her nose against his, licking her lips before pressing her mouth to his tentatively.

Ben melted into her kiss almost immediately. Groaning and slipping his tongue into her mouth with no encouragement. He gripped her hips fiercely, dragging her closer to him as her arms wrapped around his neck. The nudge of his growing and renewed erection a sudden pressure under her.

Grinding down on him, Ben gasped in her mouth as her folds slid against him. 

“God’s woman, you’re going to be the death of me” he grumbled, kissing her deeper. The wet press of her core on the rising head of his cock a clear indication her passions had not dimmed enough for that night.

“I intend to be Solo, how else will you ever learn to behave” she tormented back, her hand falling to reach between them and stroke the turgid, hot weight of him. Ben’s face screwed up in reply, her hands upon his cock ten times more erotic than he’d ever anticipated.

He buried his face between her pert breast as her strokes continued, losing himself in the sensation as he huffed against her chest. Rey kissed at his neck as he quickly became more and more excited in her hands. Tongue running up the salty tang of his skin until he abruptly ceased her movements with his mouth. His own hands rising to paw and toy with her breasts at his leisure. Rey groaned deeply as Ben’s touches became more and more intense, a further wetness forming from her  centre . The desperate ache of earlier returning with a  vengeance .

“I don’t want to behave scavenger” Ben whispered back archly, hands slowly removing hers from his now fully hard length.

“At times, it pays to be bad”

Rey tried to repress the yelp of surprise that flew out of her mouth as he grasped her backside and stood up suddenly. Eyes wild and smirk deepening as Rey’s pupils blew in response to his display of strength. That shadowy, unexplained ripple of  joint  attraction a force too strong to resist. Their bond a whirling mass of sensations and lurid anticipation.

There would be no holding back this time.

Rey would not allow it.

She found herself on her back once more as Ben latched onto her neck. The hot and at times  sharp  graze of his teeth on her skin an animalistic claiming of her body. Rey keened in reply, digging her nails into his skin as Ben toed the delicate line that blurred pain and pleasure.

Hitching her legs up, she wrapped herself once more around his hips. The now straining head of him rubbing across the still sensitive expanse of her core. Their bucking hips a much more frenzied affair this time around.

Ben’s restraint worn down to almost nothing.

Rey could feel him there, pressing and lurching on her folds. Slipping up over her clitoris with every stroke. Every thrust dangerously closer to the place that ached the most for him.

“Ben” Rey stuttered out, turning her face to meet his mouth in a searing tangle of tongues. Eager hands running over his pectorals as he shivered over her.

“Ben...” she exhaled again, gripping his face so she could get his attention.

“It’s time.”

Ben’s frenzy slowed as he digested what she said. Eyes self-conscious all at once.

Gulping he whispered shyly in reply.

“Are you sure?”

Reaching up to caress his worried brow, she smiled.

“Yes, completely”

“But...” Ben sighed seriously “But, what if I hurt you?”

“You won’t” Rey replied firmly, knowing deep down this was not a certainty.

“I could, I’m not exactly small” Ben replied, frown deepening. Rey’s cheeks flushed again as the image of his engorged cock filled her head.

“I know” she murmured “But I want you Ben, all of you.”

A look of discomfort passed over his features as he weighed up his options, his own libido screaming at him to just give in. Rey’s silently pleaded with him and he was unable to deny her anymore.

His own desire a force he could no longer  suppress .

“Okay” he conceded quietly, looking deep into her eyes.

Kissing her lips once more with a reverence she didn’t fully understand, she felt Ben line himself up with her  centre . The tip of him hot and broad again the ring of muscle that held him back.

Rey waited for him to thrust forward the last few nanometers, but no pinching surge came. Instead he lay still against her, eyes watching and waiting for her to make the final ingress to their union.

Heart thundering in her chest, Rey reached down between their closely melded bodies to grasp the base of him. Pushing up into herself without a second thought, wincing as the thick head of him dragged passed her tight muscles. Penetrating harder than his fingers ever did.

Ben shuddered as he felt the warmth of her body envelope him, breathing and uneven and rough pant as her core tensed around him on instinct.

“Oh wow” he groaned into Rey’s neck, it taking all his self-control not to rut up into her. To sheath himself fully in the delicious heat and friction her body could provide. Being inside her more than he had ever hoped when he had arrived on this island a few days ago.

Rey’s whole body tensed underneath him, the pinching, burning sensation between her legs a pain she had not anticipated. Letting out a harsh uneven breath, the discomfort lessened little by little as her body slowly got used to the  intrusion .

“Are you okay?” Ben asked with deep concern, finally seeing the distress in her face. Her eyes scrunched up and closed in response to their coupling.

“Ben” she whimpered despite herself “I’m fine”

Breathing deeply, the worst of the stretching sensation leaving, her voice was more resolved as she looked back at him with clear eyes.

“You can... I want you to push in more”

Ben’s breath caught in his throat, but he did as he was told. Hips thrusting forward until he was seated almost to the base, a shaky sigh leaving his mouth as he guiltily relished the feeling of her completely filled by him.

Rey’s initial discomfort slowly disappeared as her core throbbed with the heavenly weight of him inside her.

“Ben” Rey’s small voice called again, finding Ben’s fuzzy, blissed out  gaze  as their eyes met again.

“I want to move, slowly, very slowly....please” she begged, pressing the heels of her feet against his backside to force him in even further. Ben nodded in reply, his stupor clearing as he pulled his hips back a fraction before pushing back into her as gently as he could. Slower than his now palpitating dick wanted. But he kept his promise and maintained the glacial pace until Rey initial pants of discomfort changed into soft moans of enjoyment. 

The press of her heels upon his hips grew tighter as she silently urged him on, the Force frizzling around the room as the thrum of building pleasure mounted. Her thoughts rushing into his mind as their bond flew open again, each meeting of their hips a shared ecstasy.

She demanded his all as time ticked on.

_ Faster _

_ Harder _

_ Deeper _

Ben could hardly breath as he picked up the pace, pounding into her as his own release started to form. Rey stared up at him, her mouth open as she gasped with each new deep stroke. Breasts bouncing as Ben chased his own relief in her hot, clenching centre. 

Leaning up she pulled him into a breathy, desperate kiss. Lips crushing hard as their arousals made them delirious.

Ben was beginning to fall apart of above her as he groaned against her mouth, body trembling from the strength of his impending orgasm. More certain then he’d ever been that when finally did come, it would be the most euphoric moment of his life.

But...Rey was nowhere near his level of level of rapture yet. He had to hold on.

Somehow.

_ Let go  _

_ Let go Ben _

Whispering in his mind as she kissed him deeply, Rey slowed his frenzy down as she gripped his face affectionately.

_ It’s okay. I’ve got you. _

_ Let go. _

With one last encroachment into his mind, Rey’s words finally hit their mark. Ben’s hips jolting with little coordination as he thrust once, then twice, before he erupting into her. A deep growl rumbling through his gritted teeth as he collapsed onto her. Head resting on her chest, his thick dark hair damp with sweat. His whole body pulsing with the aftershocks of his release. A deep disappointment filled him as he sensed only his sole rumble of pleasure through the Force. Rey had just come up short.

“I’m sorry” he mumbled apologetically into the crook of her neck, his body sagging at his apparent lack of performance. Rey pulled him closer to her as she ran her fingers soothingly through his disheveled  hair.

“Why are you sorry?” she whispered sweetly in reply, kissing his temple softly. “This has been the best night of my life Ben”

Raising his head a little to look at her with mild surprise, Ben’s voice was filled with disbelief as he spoke. His own short comings a sting of bitter shame 

“But....you didn’t....”

“No. ..but  I came close. I’m sure you’ll get me there with some  practise ” Rey teased as she brushed  Ben’s  unruly curtain of hair from his hope filled eyes.The tension shifting from his face as he relaxed a little.

“You think?” he asked solemn, a frown showing his lingering doubt.

“You seem to have a very bad short-term memory Solo” she laughed, gently pushing him off her, his weight against her becoming too much. Grudgingly letting himself be forced over onto his back, he hummed happily as Rey settled herself against the firm expanse of his chest. Arms wrapping around her slim torso as he pulled her in towards him possessively.

“How so?” Ben mused contentedly as Rey ran her fingers lazily over his chest, eyes growing heavy after the adrenaline slowly seeped away.

“Hmmm?” Rey replied, looking sleepily up at him.

“How do I have a bad short-term memory?” 

Rey’s tired eyes flashing with mischief before she answered.  Rising  up, she whispered into Ben’s ear with a demure smile.

“You seem to have forgotten already what those hands of yours did to me earlier”

Ben chuckled at her, reaching up to trace the line of cheek with back of his hand. Brown eyes filled with adoration and what Rey may one day admit could be love, he sighed again with contentment.

“No” Ben murmured “That I will never forget”.

The Force swirled around them once more, a calm sense of peace overcoming any lingering doubt. Balance reigning over them both for the first time in their known existence.

Pressing one last chaste kiss upon Ben’s happy mouth, Rey settled herself once more against his welcoming embrace.  A soft smile on her lips.

“Me either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew!!! That was an experience. I think I need a lie down after that!  
> I was going to write some more minor smut but the next chapter will more than likely more focus on love and the past etc.
> 
> Some unexpected old friends may turn up as well!


	8. Day 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben contemplates the future as new threat rises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to be short sort of filled chapter and instead turned into a monster 10k word narrative shift. Best described as the next story arc....perhaps! The story I had originally envisioned was not going to go this way, but the changes felt right.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter and will join me for the next installment...whenever that may be!
> 
> Warning: References to death, near death experiences and explicit sexual situations.
> 
> Please review, bookmark or give me a kudos if you enjoyed the new installment.

_ At first _ _ , _ _  there was only silence _ _. _

_  A _ _  cold and empty void  _ _ suffocating _ _  them as they  _ _ travelled _ _  shoulder to shoulder in the slowly drifting snow. The pure white of the freshly fallen flakes  _ _ marred imperfect in their wake, _ _  stained crimson by the flecks of blood as it trailed behind their slowly trudging footsteps. Ahead of them, the black shadow of the approaching platoon was a dark  _ _ specter _ _  in contrast to the clinical white that coated the soldier's uniforms.  _ _ Guns _ _  rising as each soulless, hollowed artificial eye fixed upon their position. _

_ Rey looked up at him grimly, lighting the _ __ _ cold _ _  sabre in her left hand as her  _ _ other _ _  found its way into his _ _  rough palm in _ _  a fleeting squeeze of anticipation and resolve. Ben lit his own crackling, bleeding weapon as he pulled her to him, crushing her mouth to his in a desperate promise of survival. Rey responded in kind, reaching up  _ _ to draw h _ _ im closer, a great gasp escaping her mouth as a sob wracked her whole body. _

_ Pulling back, Ben saw the tears that  _ _ stained _ _  her cheeks, streams  _ _ of terror  _ _ flooding her face.  _ _ His heart  _ _ breaking at the fear  _ _ he foun _ _ d as it shone from her forlorn eyes _ _ , unable to hide the truth from his  _ _ kind but probing gaze.  _ _ Kissing her again, Ben whispered his eternal promise against her trembling lips. _

_ “No matter what happens, I’ll come back for you sweetheart” _

_ Rey’s large hazel eyes softened and she nodded in reply. _

_ “Always” she whispered back as the shout of the approaching platoon demanded their surrender. _

_ Without another word she rushed away from him and headlong into the deep, the whole galaxy exploding in her wake.  _

_ They had always lived on the  _ _ sabres _ _  edge between defeat and triumph, rolling the dice of destiny for the greater glory. Never asking the odds, only taking the spoils of victory when the balance tipped in their  _ _ favour _ _. _

_ But nothing could ever last forever. _

_ Not every battle was theirs to be won. _

_ ….. _

_ The ground was icy cold against his knees  _ _ when _ _  Ben finally came around again sometime  _ _ l _ _ later _ _  the grit and torn up snow below him crushing itself to the material of his ruined black trousers. T _ _ he downward p _ _ ressure of his body pressed against the bitterly cold terrain,  _ _ caused  _ _  painful _ _  nicks  _ _ to cut  _ _ into the small areas of exposed skin that lay between the ripped fabric. _

_Ben could feel large, strong hands pushing down on his aching shoulders. His arms restrained in chains and forced back by two burly, unspeaking troopers. Forcing him further into the frozen ground as they leant their considerable weight down through his shoulders._    


_ Ben couldn't move, his body weak and tired after the battle he had fought. The trooper’s grip too firm and his spirit too broken to resist. A tight, frigidly cold collar round his neck prevented any possible hope of escape for either of them. The Force could not help him now. _

_Ben’s suppressed the urge to sob, his chest rising in a great gulp of anguished despair as his gaze fell on his worst fear._    


_ Rey kneeled a few paces away, tears streaming down her bloodied, terrified face. The large collar they had placed on her neck dwarfing her lower jaw, hiding the sweet mouth he had kissed  _ _ tragically _ _  too  _ _ few times _ _  in this life time. A fact he regretted even further as two more black clad troopers arrived either side of her, forcing Rey suddenly to her feet.  _

_There was no escape._    


_ "Did you really think you could run forever" a familiar voice scorned at Ben as he walked into sight. The distinctive electric blue of General  _ _ Bolla’s _ _  immaculately coiffed hair a terrifying image against the white wall of falling snow and dark brown terrain Ben kneeled against.  _

_ “Did you really think I wouldn’t find you Supreme Leader?  General  _ _ Hux _ _  was entirely accurate in his assessment, what a utterly predictable disappoint you truly  _ _ have become _ _. ” _

_ Ben gritted his teeth against the insult, not wanting to give the worm of a man any further satisfaction. _

_ Unfortunately, Rey was not of the same opinion. _

_ “The feeling is mutual you insufferable, pompous  _ _ bantha _ _  faced maggot.” she spat back, glare fiery as she sneered back at him. _

_ Arching a blue eyebrow at her, the General’s rictus grin was anything but jocular a _ _ s he w _ _ alked closer. _

_ “Ah yes _ _..... _ _ the little Jedi I have heard so much about.” he purred malevolently as his leather-bound fingers gripped her face, squeezing hard. _

_ “Such a pity about that coarse tongue of _ _  yours, such a waste w _ _ hen you possess such beauty. You would have made a fine addition to my collection” _

_ Bolla _ _  caressed her cheek for a moment before recoiling visibly as Rey spat at him, white spittle staining his immaculate jacket. Hissing loudly his mouth contorted into a visible sneer in response, lurching for her face once more. His violent grip forcing her head back painfully.  Ben jolted forward ineffectually as he saw her wince in discomfort. _

_ “Let go of her you bastard” he growled as the troopers pulled him back.  _ _ Bolla _ _  chuckled at him in bemusement _

_ “ _ _ Oh _ _  I intend to immediately, just not in a way you’ll like Supreme Leader Ren” _

_ Without another word the sound of a heavy axe thudding in the distance interrupted the tense moment. The noise that followed was a sudden, splintering crack behind Rey, as a widening hole appeared in the seemingly frozen solid river _ _. The _ _  sole _ __ _ trooper hacking over and over again _ _  until the chasm _ _  broadened enough for him to return to the bank _ _  that lay a few paces from their location.  _ _ The ice _ _  hole _ __ _ that _ _  formed _ _  reveal _ _ ing  _ _ the rapidly running but bleak, inky waters below. _

_ Ominously bubbling as the silence stretch on by the bank. _

_ Ben’s _ _  mind was slow to catch up, his h _ _ eart  _ _ stopping for a beat  _ _ as it all came together in his head. _

_ “No...” he whispered desperately, meeting  _ _ Bolla’s _ _  cold ebony eyes as the sadistic General smiled again. _

_ “Please don’t _ _....I’ll _ _  do anything” _

_ “I know” he replied, smirking cruelly as  _ _ Ben’s _ _  pulse began to race. _

_ “That’s what makes it so  _ _ tragic" he added with mocking  _ _ mimcry _ _  of sympathy _ _.  _ __

_ Without breaking their eye contact _ _  and holding  _ _ his  _ _ twisted  _ _ grin intact,  _ _ Bolla _ _  waved his hand feebly towards the narrow ice hole, his soldiers reacting immediately _ _. _

_  Rey’s eyes widened in fear as she _ _  felt herself _ _  dragged backwards toward the break in the ice,  _ _ flailing her legs as she tried  _ _ desperately to dig her boots into the frozen ground _ _. Hoping in vain _ _  to halt their progress, but finding no purchase to help herself. _

_ “BEN!” she called out, terror paling her face as they neared what was likely to be her last moments in this life. _

_ Struggling against his captors once more, Ben’s own breath stuttered as his torment worsened by the second. _

_ “Please don’t do this _ _  …please take me instead _ _ ” he wailed, begging the  _ _ unfeeling  _ _  man _ _  in front of him. Pleading with him  _ _ despite knowing beyond any reasonable doubt he would  _ _ never  _ _ listen or consider mercy. _

_ Bolla _ _  scoffed at him in reply, before striding over to Rey. Grabbing her face once more, he looked deep into her hopeless eyes as he pushed _ _  them _ _  closer still towards the ice. _

_ “A noble soldier's death is not what a traitor like you deserves” he said so coldly Ben could swear he was made of ice himself. _

_ “Goodbye little Jedi”  _ _ Bolla _ __ _ added bleakly, nodding unperceptively to the two troopers that flanked  _ _ her either side _ _ , their grip loosening upon command. _

_ “REY!” Ben screamed as he watched General  _ _ Bolla _ _  make one final shove, Rey’s balance gone as she slipped  _ _ all too easily  _ _ from the troopers hold. Footing lost as she stumbled on the glassy ice and fell out of sight and down into the deep, dark abyss below. _

_ The ominously final  _ _ spash _ _  and accompanying gasp a cacophony of sound in the otherwise almost silent valley. Ben watched as she rose up in the freezing water, face pale as she struggled to remain afloat. Her legs pumping as fast as they could, but almost immediately locking with cramp as the cold overwhelmed her senses. Slipping under again, it seemed an age before Ben saw her rise. _

_ “REY” he screamed once more as he watched her surface for a moment, gasping and spluttering before the current took her away. Straining against his captors  _ _ grip  _ _ once more, he focused all his considerable weight and strength on breaking  _ _ away _ _. His resolve renewed. _

_ “Let him go, he can do nothing to stop it  _ _ now _ _ ”  _ _ Bolla _ _  said  _ _ boredly _ __ _ , watching with glee as Ben shuffled to his feet as the troopers released him. His tired legs racing him across the ice to try and f _ _ ind her. _

_ Calling her name as he scrambled across the silvery surface, his cries became more and more anguished the longer the search carried on. He fell time after time as  _ _ he  _ _ hunted the treacherous ice for her face _ _.  _ _ E _ _ ach blow to his body from the impact barely registering in the face of his panic. _

_ Swiping the debris and snow from the opaque surface with his bare hands, he scoured the river on his hands and knees, finding nothing but empty blackness below him. _

_ “REY!” he sobbed forlornly, collapsing dejected onto the silent prison that held his love. _

_ Time was running out. _

_ By the time his clouded gaze caught the sight of her chestnut hair underneath the ice below him, Ben knew it was too late. Her once vibrant hazel eyes staring back at him, lifeless and unseeing. Mouth open and unmoving as if caught by surprise. _

_ Her body gently bobbed with the current as it rested  _ _ amidst an _ _  encased tree  _ _ branch  _ _ in the river below. _

_ “Rey...?” he whimpered, falling to his knees as a desolate sob wracked his chest. _

_ Pressing his still shackled hands to the glassy, cold surface, Ben reached for her face. _

_ “No...” he sobbed  _ _ brokenly. _

_ The loss of her all _ _ - _ _ consuming. _

_ “No _ _ ”  _ _ he repeated more forcefully, a sudden anger rising up in him. _

_ “No....” he roared now as he brought his conjoined fists down upon the thick ice.  Cursing his very existence as his enemies laughed by the river bank at his misery. Raining blow after blow upon the unyielding surface, Ben continued his assault upon the wall between them. _

_ Knuckles torn and bloody after mere moments of his assault, punch after punch an endless rhythm until something cracked in the bleak silence. _

_ Whether it was his hands or the ice, it was of no consequence. The loss remained the same for Ben. _

_ Reaching down once more towards her waxen form in the river below, He cried her name. The baleful, howling sound rising from his broken body full of anguish and regret. _

_ He had lost her. _

* * *

 

Jolting awake and free from his nightmare, Ben’s whole body was soaked with sweat as he let in great gulping breaths of air into his burning lungs. Covering his face with his hands for a moment as he hunched forward, he tried to calm his panicked breathes in the pitch-black room. His mind finally letting his body relax, to remind itself of where he was, safe and unharmed upon the Falcon.

Beside him, Rey’s sleep drunken but scared eyes found his as she reached out to turn his face to her.

“Ben, you're shaking...you were...you were” she stuttered softly, shifting closer to him on the bed as she gently ran her thumb over his pallid cheek. Brow knit in confusion and concern.

“You were screaming my name” Rey finally said, her face grave as she caressed his stricken look into a softer state.

Ben’s dark eyes, still filled with despair and panic, seemed to become guarded as he clouded his mind to her. Determined not to let her see what he had endured, what he had seen happen to her.

“....You sounded so....so....lost, it was as if I...”

Reaching down to Rey’s own flushed cheek to sooth her, Ben caressed her face and worried frown with a soft smile.

“It was nothing, just a dream. Nothing more” he murmured gently, trying to reassure her. His attempts at feigning indifference and schooling his troubled features in a nonchalant expression not quite reaching his eyes. Rey looked up at him warily, seeing right through his act.

“Ben...” she began again with apprehension. Ben’s eyes drifted from hers as his jaw set in a hard line, not knowing how to avoid her inevitable questions.

A great,  unignorable  thump thundered from the other side of the room, interrupting the tense moment and making them both jump to attention. Their interest drawn elsewhere in an instant. The sound of several dislodged wall panels falling to the floor resonated through the cabin like an avalanche. The almost indestructible  durasteel  alloy panels disturbingly warped and beyond repair as they collapsed onto the thinly insulated ship floor.

Ben winced as he surveyed the damage, his nightmare worse than he had ever anticipated. There was no way Rey would believe him now as she gasped at what his fear and rage had done.

“God’s Ben.....that was not nothing” Rey whispered uneasily, sitting forward to assess the mess he had caused. Ben’s brow knit into a deep frown as he avoided her probing gaze, his own focus set up the wreck he had unwittingly engineered.

“It’s fine” he mumbled in reply.

“Ben...” Rey began unhappily, her patience waning.

“Rey...it’s fine.” he said again, his voice firmer this time as he looked back at her with dogged resistance. Rey searched his taciturn face, finding all avenues to his thoughts hidden to her for the first time in many moons. Knowing he would not let her see what troubled him this night.

“Okay” she relented after a long moment “as long as you are sure?” she murmured worriedly.

“I am” Ben answered tightly, his face giving nothing further away. Rey nodded in assent, too tired to put up any further opposition or enquiry that night.

“Fine. But you better fix those panels tomorrow or  Chewie  will rip your arms off and use them as sweeping brushes.” she quipped teasingly, turning on her side once more as she buried her face in the soft down of her waiting pillow. Ben let out a somewhat bitter chuckle.

“I’ll keep that in mind” he deadpanned in reply, laying back down and settling himself against her back. His arm around her waist and lips by her neck before she could protest.

“You do that....” she sighed sleepily “now be quiet, I need my beauty rest”

Ben chuckled again, pulling her tighter to him as he kissed the skin of her shoulder one last time.

Within a short time, her body relaxed against him into deep sleep, the gentle rising and falling of her chest a soothing rhythm despite the dark images that plagued his mind.

The nightmare never leaving him and stealing all thoughts of slumber from him that night.

It was only a dream, he knew this without a doubt. Nothing so meaningful or life shattering that it should disturb his mind so violently. Not when he had Rey's warm, slim form pressed against his chest as she slept peaceful beside him. Skin soft and very much living as it brushed on his so sweetly.   


But the vision, it had felt so real.

 That grief so viscerally clear and painful it was as if he had lived it already a thousand times before. An unsettling and haunting memory his mind had never forgotten in the times since gone.

It had only been a dream.

But as much as Ben undeniably knew this, there was once a time  in history  a simple dream had been so much more.

When a dream had  been a catalyst for something so much bigger.

A time when one single twisted nightmare had brought the Galaxy to its knees, a warped sense of reality destroying everything it’s path and ending the age of the Republic in one fail swoop.

Such was the careful manipulation and stoking of one man's fear inducing dreams, it was all the darkness needed to claim dominion over life in  all  the known worlds.

Fear was a blunt and brutal tool for those who knew how to use it.

And dreams could not be trusted.

Not when the blood Anakin Skywalkers flowed so strongly in one’s veins.   


Perhaps what Ben had seen was a herald of what was to come. What he was to face if they were to stay on this path.

But.   


Perhaps it was nothing then the manifestation of  his  insecurities . The expression of what  bubbled beneath the surface, the doubt and terror he felt over his feelings for Rey.

A dark specter of fear to mask the vulnerability he had shown these last few days on  Ahch -To.

Unsure of the depth of her reciprocal feelings for him.

Whatever the reason, the anxiety and grief from that vision would not leave his breast. Sleep remaining elusive to him now even with the sound of Rey's calming shallow breaths beside him in the dark.

Gently extracting himself from Rey's side so as to avoid disturbing her, he pulled his cotton sleep pants back on as he rose from the bed and ambled out of the room as silently as his large frame would allow.   


He sat for a moment in the deadly silent main hold, the familiar faded leather of the booth a welcome relic of his childhood. Memories of  sabacc  lessons and intense games of  djarik  made him smile as he ran his hands over the faded surface of the table. The old  holoprojector  in the corner another source of nostalgia as he thought of the rain filled afternoons he and his mother would sit and watch Moray and  Faz . His father grumbling over one thing or another wrong with the Falcon. Always eventually pausing long enough to crack a smile at Ben’s delight face watching his  favourite  show.

Those had been the good times.

 Before the Galaxy had claimed both his parents, the time before the New Republic's needs had not outweighed his own juvenile ones.  When he had become like the forgotten second child of his parents, the heroes who had given birth to the New Republic.

Sighing loudly with a sudden pang despondency, Ben rose again and wandered off towards the cockpit, intent on distracting his troubled mind elsewhere.

* * *

 

The right-hand side of bed had  long  grown cold when Rey finally roused from her deep sleep, the pitch-black cabin a poor measure  to estimate  the hour and time. 

How long ago had Ben left her that morning? 5 standard minutes, half an hour, half a day cycle?

It was impossible to know.

Rey was disorientated without any natural light to direct her, totally  ignorant of what  stage  in  the sun cycles she had  awoken.  The cabin so dark she could barely make out her own hands in the gloom. 

The blue emergency  lights  which had lit  her  illicit nocturnal activities ,  had long since given up shining. After the power  surge  Ben and Rey had put the system through, it was a miracle the whole  circuit  hadn’t burst into flames. 

Coupled now by the destruction Ben’s nightmare had wrought, it was going to take them some hours of work to fix the full extent of the damage.

Reaching out with the Force, she was quietly thankful to find she could still coax the main lighting system into action, the harsh florescent bulbs mercifully unaffected by their  total and utterly  unintentional ,  demolition. The immediate rush of brightness caused Rey  to wince  momentarily in response , her eyes paining against the abrupt change .

Finally adjusting to the harsh, artificial glow, Rey sighing as she saw the full visual magnitude of what he had done.

There was no way this was normal, even for him.

Quickly drawing her discarded tunic to herself, Rey quick dressed, bent on finding Ben and getting to the bottom of his sudden loss of control. The dream no doubt affecting him more than he would care to admit.

Rising to her feet and stepping towards the door, Rey’s tired body ached and protested against her movement, particularly enraged by her premature abandonment of sleep. The shortness of her rest that night not appreciated by her limbs and muscles. However, it was the not entirely unpleasant throb of over stretched muscles which thrummed between her thighs that took her focus, another blush rising up her chest as she realized the cause. The inner most part of her sore but not necessarily unwelcome to the idea of repeating the act sometime in the near future. Her sordid mind flashing to the image of Ben nestled deep within her , a  shiver of excitement rolling up her back in reply. The memory ,  a warm and utter salacious moment she wished to relive again and again.

Even now she wondered how he had  teased  her body to feel such celestial pleasures.

Pushing these debased thoughts away as she felt the darkening presence of Bens troubled mind at the fringe of her consciousness, Rey set about finding him. Her concern at the increasingly unstable charge of negative energy radiating from him, not without base, as she took one last look around the disheveled cabin. Sighing audibly, she closed the door behind her and padded towards the main hold. Keen to find her tempestuous object of her affection and put an end to the mystery she had begun to suspect had a complex answer.

* * *

 

Ben sat low in the copilot's chair when she finally found him, dark eyes fixed upon the driving rain as it swelled against the cockpit. 

The storm it seemed had not abated overnight. 

The dull murmur of the ships  Comms  system a whisper of frenzied voices in the silent cockpit. Ben no longer paying attention to its announcements as he stared out into the rising dawn, lost to his own thoughts as the inky sky shifted into a steely grey.

"I see we won't be leaving the Falcon today " Rey remarked with  humor  as she approached Ben and leant against the armrest. Sighing audibly, she shot him a small smirk. Ben's lips and mouth twitched in response, the forced motion a visible attempt to remove the morose look from his face. 

However, the action failed miserably as his pained and troubled expression caused Rey’s attempts at joviality to dissolve into a concerned curiosity.

"No....I don't imagine we will. The  atmoscanner  says the storm front won't pass for at least another day cycle." Ben replied quietly, his distant speech a response marred by obvious distraction. 

Though his mind remained an impenetrable wall, Rey did not need to search his thoughts to see how unsettled his nightmare had made him.

His expressive brown eyes, two open windows into deep the turmoil  below . 

One look from Rey and Ben knew this was painfully obvious, flushing as his eyes dropped from hers to focus upon the dormant navigational panel.

"Ben..." Rey began with trepidation.   


"I'm sure Chewie can find us plenty to do until the storm passes" Ben murmured solemnly, ignoring her soft frown.   


"Ben..." Rey tried again more forcefully, reaching for the edge of his chair to swivel him around to face her.

Ben allowed her to move the chair with minimal resistance, instead he steadfastly kept his head down and away from her searching eyes.   


"This old girl  always  needs something fixed or replaced..." He rambled on, staring at his knees as he avoided her probing gaze. His voice petering out as she gently tilted his face up towards hers,  her warm,  soft palms a solid comfort against his cheeks.

"Ben" she whispered carefully, watching as Ben Solo’s lip quivered with unexpressed grief as he finally gave her his full attention.

"What did you see? What happened?"

Ben shook his head, eyes wide and scared.

“Nothing.....it was just a dream” he mumbled back, his voice shaking as he spoke.

Rey’s frown deepened as she searched his eyes again. Running her thumb over his jaw she shook her head too, mirroring his action but not believing his words.

“No...that was no dream Ben, what are you not telling me?” Rey asked seriously.

Ben shook his head again, closing his eyes as an unnamed and desolate feeling rose up in his gut. Rey moved closer as she forced him to look at her again, her bare legs slipping over his legs as she pulled herself onto his lap.

Ben exhaled loudly as he felt her drawn in closer, a noise she could not decide was one of relief or self-contained pain.

   
Resting her forehead against his, Rey ran her hands through his soft, bed mussed locks.

“Ben...please. Just tell me. Let me share your trouble” she whispered soothingly, holding his close.

After a moment, Ben started to respond, his hands rising from his sides to tangle in her loose, wavy strands. Closing his eyes again for a brief moment, he let out a long shuddering breath.

Leaning back, he sighed once more before reluctantly dragging his eyes back to her face.

Those deep, dark orbs fixed on hers with a fury as he finally met her gaze.

“I saw the end Rey.” he said bleakly. Rey blinked at him rapidly, taken aback by his sudden intensity.

“The end?” she repeated, her confusion growing.

“I saw how this ends Rey, all of it” he paused, his fury breaking for a second into anguish.

“I saw how you die....”

Rey gulped as she digested everything. Seeing the honesty in his earnest face.

“It was just a dream Ben, it’s not real” she replied evenly, not fully believing the words even as she said them.

“It felt real, that it could be real” Ben growled in response, his grip on her momentarily tightening  painfully, before letting go  with an apologetic blush  as soon as she grimaced in response .

“Some nightmares  can , that’s the  awful  power they can hold over us...” Rey began.

“No...no you don’t understand” Ben hissed “It felt like something else .....  Something  more  solid and  clear..and ”

Rey’s face whitened as she understood what he meant. It had felt like the vision they had shared in  the  hut, when she had  risked everything to  come to him on the Supremacy. 

It felt as real as the reason she’d had faith in him to confront  Snoke , the reason she had helped him and  the reason they’d had  the confidence in their kinship  to  lead them to victory.

“Show me” Rey said solemnly, placing her  hand’s  on Ben’s hunched shoulders.  He blinked back at her rapidly, his  soft brown eyes  growing  forlorn and desperate.

“Please, you cannot ask that of me.” Ben said sadly. Rey’s face was resolute as she looked at him again with an unblinking fierceness.

“Show me Ben” Rey repeated firmly.

"Please don't make me force my way in Ben, you know I will if I have to".

Ben gulped visibly as her words hit home, knowing he wouldn't have the strength to fight her in his current state.

His lip quivered again as he dropped his head against her shoulder. Breathing deeply as he felt his resolve cracking

Rey steely glare softened as she gently swept the dark tendrils of hair away from his face. A tender kiss falling on his temple as she felt his distress grow.   


"Please Ben" she sighed bleakly, resting her head once more against his as Ben shuddered at the contact of her lips.   


"Let me see ".   


A single tear threatened to fall as Ben mulled over this awful request. His head barely moved as he nodded in defeat. 

Rising once more and looking deeply into her concerned hazel eyes, he slowly leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers. His lips soft and yielding in comparison to the more forceful and surprised press of Rey's mouth, her hungry response instinctual to the heat of his kiss. She did not try push him away or reject his touch in spite of the delay from the truth this brought her.  Instead she leaned eagerly  into his embrace ,  her arms  moving  to wrap around his neck as she deepened the caress of their mouths.

Ben kissed her long and desperately, trying to express everything words would fail to say. Prizing open his mind to her as he took comfort in the feeling of her smaller form clinging to him, her body real and solid and warm against his chest. Heart thumping against his own in time to a rhythm only their shared souls knew.

As his mind opened, Rey felt a wave of emotion hit her. The unexpected force of it almost taking the air from her lungs, gasping and heaving her chest until she could do nothing  but  succumb to the power she faced. It was almost peaceful, feeling that rush of light and dark, fear and hope, hate and love wash over her mind and body. Purging but also renewing everything in its path, a great balance of chaos.

Seeing  this  far below into the complicated core of a man she so deeply cared for, stoked Rey’s curiosity as she began reaching out with her own mind into the dark crevices of his subconscious.

 Instead  she found  the well of strong and undeniably complicated feelings between them a distracting path she fell upon first. Drawn in like a moth to flame, her heart  swelling  as she watched the memory of their night together through his eyes. The beauty and strength he saw in her as she lay below him , drinking in every inch and hue upon her skin. Cataloging the image deep within his memory and etched into his heart alongside the  enduring and irrefutable love he was starting to admit he  felt  for her.

Kissing him harder, Rey wished to stay in that moment forever. To bask in the glory of  its  light and never let go.

But, there at the fringes of that idyllic and heavenly memory, lay an encroaching darkness. A threat that remained unseen and malignantly watching. Waiting for  the  opportune moment to  sour their burgeoning tranquility.

This was what Ben  feared.

That depthless, empty void of evil.

Grasping the cold , shadowy  presence with the tendrils of her mind, Rey allowed that icy, malicious fear to pull her down into the hellish nightmare below.

Her heart  dropped  into the pit of her stomach as she  let the darkness over take her  ,  devouring the light and  slowly drawing her  into the  swirling memory below. Watching it all unfold around her she finally understood, the horror and terrifying reality of  it all. 

What Ben had seen.

The flashing jumble of images she experienced as his mind jumped from one disturbing moment to the other ,  was a whiplash of mounting anguish. Her own frozen and lifeless form a distressing image in the midst of the chaos that surrounded t hem. The  heartbreak ruminating from Bens memory was  a  pain so visceral her  whole body ached with the force of it. Her own chest tight and breathless. 

For a  flickering instant  everything went  utterly black and  she found herself under the ice, staring up at Ben's desperate, crying face as he scrambled to free her. The water  that surrounded her  absolute and unignorably glacial temperature beyond her ability to even comprehend, numbing her whole body in seconds.  Her lungs burning and begging for release. 

She couldn't take it, Rey had to let go.

Exhaling loudly as she scrambled off Ben and stood staring at the  durasteel  floor, Rey tried in vain to calm her panicked breathing. Her body shivering violently as it fought against the imagined freezing river, goose bumps exploding across her exposed skin. 

"God's" was all she managed to whisper as she tried to quell the fear that had burrowed its way into her breast.

"Rey..." Ben croaked forlornly, reaching out to clasp her surprising cool hand in his.  Concerned his had let her see too much.

"Rey, are you okay?"

She blinked rapidly, her chest still rising up and down rapidly in an unsteady rhythm. Her eyes seemed to clear as Ben's fingers tightened around her hand.

Gaze rising from the floor to meet Ben's with a confused f rown.

It  was  not real.

Perhaps a terrible  reminder from his subconscious of what  could  await them if they  got too confident.

Yet.

She had to make him see, it was nothing but a bad dream.

"Rey...."  Ben  began with trepidation, unable to hide his surprise when Rey suddenly launched herself back onto his lap. Kissing him ferociously and without pause. Tears welling at her eyes  but never falling,  as she clung to him desperately.

Wrapping his arms around her, Ben kissed her back with equal  fervour . Driven by some primal instinct and informed by an ancient and irrefutable truth, that despite the pain that may away await them, they would first live. They would feel and want and love even with  death’s  ghostly , threatening  breath at their backs.

Panting against her mouth as the core of her brush over his now increasingly awake groin, Ben could feel desire rising once more to supersede the maudlin thoughts of before.  Impulses and feelings rushing through his mind, building to a crescendo of desperation and passion.

His thirst for her insatiable and unyielding.

Pulling back abruptly after a short, heated reprieve, Rey's eyes were wild and glassy as she looked deeply into Ben's intoxicated brown eyes 

"I am going nowhere Ben Solo, you hear me. " she whispered seriously

Ben did not reply straight away, instead closing his eyes for a moment to swallow the immediate feeling of dread that resonated from her words.

"Ben...." Rey said more softly, resting her forehead against his "no matter what comes our way, I am  not  going  anywhere  sweetheart."

Both of them froze as the loving epithet fell from her lips, one as surprised as the other at sudden development.

Ben jerked his head up towards Rey as he processed the unexpected term of endearment, his face brightening as he caught her reddening cheeks. The new name for him a clear slip of the tongue.

"What did you just call me?" Ben said softly, his despair forgotten again as a smile spread on his face.

"Nothing..." Rey flushed, her discomfort growing.

"Yes you did" Ben smiled wider, leaning forward to hold her tighter to his chest as she attempted to move away.

Rey's embarrassed grew as her cheeks grew hotter, squirming to try create space between her and Ben.

"I didn't" she whined, giving in and collapsing  against  his chest in a huff.

"You called me Sweetheart, I heard you." Ben teased, running his hand up her back as all of his despairing gloominess faded to a dull throb. The happiness he had gotten from that simple word  silencing  all the ill  thoughts he’d suffered  that morning.

“I did not” Rey groused half-heartedly; her dead weight heavy upon his breast as she collapsed in a shameful defeat.

“Did too" Ben hummed  sweetly , brushing  the  soft waves of her hair away from her face. Meeting the unsure and vulnerable  g lint in her eyes with a soft smile. 

“And you know what…I’d like to call you that too, if you’d let me “

Rey smiled despite herself. A warmth found itself back into her eyes that betrayed her relief at his affectionate response, his kindness and lack of scorn a definite factor in her next actions.

That, and her blood had already warmed considerably after the kisses they’d exchanged

Sometimes actions spoke better than words alone.

Rising from his broad chest, Rey’s relieved and gentle smile slid into something all the more devious. Propping her head against forearms as they rested by his collar bones, she smirked up at him with a coy look on her face.

“Maybe....if?” she trailed off enigmatically. 

“If.....what?” Ben replied with a perplexed but somewhat flirtatious chuckle.

Leaning up to whisper in his ear, her breath was ticklish against his skin as his gut leaped at her words.

“If...you make me squirm again like you did last night .  I think we both need the distraction… ”

The despair of the early hours long forgotten as his baser instincts took over.

Before he could answer or even gather his breath to offer any sort of response, Rey had already risen from his lap. Looking over her shoulder at him with an inviting arch of her eyebrow, she motioned with her head towards the cabins before leaving him there gaping in her wake.

It took him a moment to recover from the shock of her brazen invitation, not that he didn’t wholly welcome the temptation.

“Tempestuous little  Lothcat ” he chuckled to himself before rising to follow her.

Her footsteps echoing around the chamber as she raced back to the Captains quarters.

Entering room, Ben's senses kicked into overdrive as Rey began to strip.

Certain, as long as he lived, his pulse would never cease to falter every time he got to watch Rey remove her clothes. The sheer sight of those slender arms wrapping around her waist to lift the thin tunic from her body was poetry in motion, the anticipation of what lay beneath a thrill of which he would never tire.

Whatever lingering nervousness she possessed undressing in front him did not show, her eyes never leaving his as he crossed the room with purpose.  His excitement already beginning to show  in the l ow-slung sleep pants  he wore , the weight of it  heavy against the  fabric . Eyes dark and hungry as they roved over her neat figure as if it were the first time all over again.

His large hands were hot against her skin as they came to rest just below her ribs. Grip firm and almost possessive as he pulled her slowly toward him, Rey offering no resistance as she was coaxed flush against his hips.

A predatory grin gracing Ben’s feature , watching  as she shivered in anticipation at the feel of his hardening cock pressed between them.

“Careful Scavenger, people might say you’re starting to like me with a reaction like that” he growled lowly, dipping  down  to press a lingering kiss to her neck.

Pushing with her hands, Rey scoffed loudly at him as she forced some space between them.

“You are amazingly self-assured you know that” she smirked up at him as she shook her head.

“Tell me I’m wrong” Ben grinned cheekily, catching her cheek in his hand. Caressing her lip with his thumb, he watched smugly as her smirk broadened into a beaming smile despite herself.

“You’re an ass, but... unfortunately, you’re not wrong” Rey sighed comically.

“So, you admit it. You’re completely smitten with me” he teased as Rey scoffed again, not sure if she wanted to kill him or kiss him at that second. Refusing to answer his thinly veiled attempts at getting some sort of verbal  confession from her. Some  confirmation of her  true and unfettered  feelings for him.

Choosing to ignore him , she decided  aim for  roguish  torment instead.

“If you think  my reaction to your very overeager cock  would make people talk, what would they say about this?” she asked playfully, letting her hands drift down his chest. Palms ghosting over his skin as Ben shuddered, his lip caught between teeth as her fingers ventured just under the elasticated hem of his pants. 

“I think....they may have a lot to say about that” he choked loudly, pulling her closer.  Any  intentions of teasing her disappearing in a flash as he ground his hips into  her  in response.  His mouth hovering just above hers, breath hot and quickening as he held back momentarily. Relishing the tortuous pleasure of her hand slipping lower and lower until her fingers ran a tentative line down the throbbing heat of his cock. 

“I agree, it would certainly cause a stir.” Rey purred seductively, pausing for the most aching of seconds. 

“But maybe…. It's best then to give something really to talk about” she added with a devilish smile, raising her hands from the front of pants to pull the already low hanging clothing down over his ass. Freeing his now impressively growing erection in one  fluid movement.

“Nothing would make me happier" Ben murmured with an amused and frankly surprised chuckle. 

Reaching down he pulled his pants  down  the final few inches, kicking them away with an enticing arch of his brow. His hand skimming up Rey’s side as he rose again, his fingers brushing over her chest and increasingly hard nipples as her pulse jumped under her skin. Goosebumps erupting in the wake of his touch.

Looking at her intently, his pupils were blown so wide and black they almost covered each ring of his chocolate brown iris.

Rey’s own gaze was so dark and lustful Ben could hold back no longer. He had to have her again.

Tilting her face up to meet his, he kissed her with a greedy and enthusiastic grunt. Tongues sweeping against each other as the fire in their belly’s spread through every  fibre  of their being. Pumping through their bloodstream and pooling in the very core of the ir twinned minds.

Leaning down, Ben hooked one of his arms under Rey’s bare backside, the other wrapping against her back as he gripped her hair. Lifting her up off her feet and closer to him, he pressed them both roughly against the cabin wall. Rey instinctively wrapp ing  her legs around his hips as she puller herself higher , kissing him deeply as they stood face to face .  Her breathy groans getting  louder as an insistent ache started to grow between her thighs ,  his  hard  cock unintentionally brush ing  upon her increasing ly  wet sex  as they grinded against one another .  K isses becoming more and more frantic as the Force thrummed and crackled between them like an exposed electrical wire. Filling them with a heady sense of power and  the  unstoppable pull to meld into one. The light and dark urging them on.

Ben’s hips were already starting thrust forward against her, his cock rubbing freely between the folds he’d buried himself in the night before. Now unable to control the urge to take her right there and then, hastily against the cold ship wall. The deep and clearly pleased groan that tumbled from Rey’s mouth indicating he wasn’t alone in this thought.

However, the material world it seemed was more than willing to drag them both back down to reality.

Adjusting his weight, Ben was unfortunate enough to  be confronted  with the very real destruction he had wrought earlier, his bare foot  unthinkingly  stepping onto a loose  durasteel  panel. The sheet of metal shifting and slipping under his considerable size.

His whole body tensed in that split second, bracing  them both  for the inevitable impact as h e and  Rey tumbled backwards.  His back and shoulders m ore than willing to take the brunt of the blow that would come as they hit the debris underfoot, her body safely wrapped  above  his. Yet, the anticipated collision with the hard cabin floor did not come.

Opening his eyes, he found Rey resting on his chest, arm outstretched as she looked passed him in deep concentration. Holding them both just above the sharp metal panels, catching his fall just in time.

Ben looked up at her with fascination, totally in awe at her quick reflexes. Pushing with the Force, he removed the dangerous detritus from below them and took the slack from her, slowly lowering them to the floor with a soft thud. His eyes never leaving hers as she relaxed once more on his chest.

“Guess that’s as good a sign as any I need to clean this up” Ben sighed unenthusiastically, his libido screaming at him to shut his mouth and finish what they’d started. 

It seemed to him,  falling  like an idiot on his ass may have been  a  mood killer!

On this occasion he was entirely wrong.

“No...” Rey interjected with a laugh, eyes bright with amusement  “It’s as good a sign as any that we need to move to the bed you  nerfherder ” . 

“Really...” Ben replied with disbelief.

“Yes!” Rey exclaimed, slapping his chest lightly “Now get up you big oaf ,  before I change my mind”.

Ben gulped visibly as she sat up on his hips, legs straddling way too close to his  now painfully erect  member.  Still gawping at her, he watched with renewed fire as she winked at him, pushing off his chest to stand and climb into the nearby bed.

Patting the mattress with her hand as she smirked, Ben was not sure what he had ever done in his life thus far to deserve a woman like her. He was doomed.

Matching her enticing smirk, he rose to his feet with a bemused chuckle.

“You never fail to surprise me” he rumbled affectionately as he kneeled beside her on the soft mattress, crawling across the bed until his body hung just above Rey. His movement caging her in but preventing their bodies from touching, his skin maddeningly close but just out of reach.

“You’re full of surprises too Ben Solo” she replied breathlessly, shivering in anticipation as she looked up at him. Hazel eyes sweeping the length and breadth of his power ful  build with  an  unmistakable want and appreciation.

“Good ones I hope” he whispered, his deep voice reverberating gently against her skin as he leaned closer. His body still just short of hers, the heat of their skin radiating across the small space of air separating them.

It was driving Rey crazy. 

She nodded in agreement as she looked up at him, waiting feverishly for him to close the distance. Ben, however, was not quite ready to give in yet, enjoying the sight of Rey’s flushed and flustered  face  as her arousal became more and more apparent.

“Tell me” he purred, his breath tickling her skin as he whispered low and dangerous in her ear.

Squirming underneath him, Rey’s patience was worn t oo thin by his playful taunts . As much as she enjoyed his flirtatious banter, it was time to finish this little interlude. Huffing loudly, she reached out and pulled him down on top of her. Crushing her mouth against his as Ben jolted in surprise. Unable to respond for a second or two until his brain caught up her. Rey already trailing her hands down his back to pull his hips closer to her. 

Ben chuckled again at her  boldness , pulling back after a moment to remark on this. His tease dying in his throat as Rey took the opportunity to latch onto neck, lips and teeth dragging against his skin in a sensual rush of pain and pleasure. Cock twitching as all thoughts of speaking disintegrated into dust.

“No more talking” Rey threatened between nips and kisses.

“Fine” Ben growled between breathes, dragging her face back up to stare into her eyes with a predatory glint. Holding her gaze with such intensity it was Rey who broke their connection first.  Cheeks flushing again as her breath stuttered for a split second.   Ben took this as his  opportunity  to  plunge  down and kiss her with such force, her toes and fingers curled in pleasure. The obscene moan that escaped her mouth, a sign she had no intentions of letting this be a soft and gentle affair. She wanted the light and dark side of him and Ben had every intention of giving it to her.

Teeth scrapped against his bottom lip between each lustful meeting,  her  tongue fighting his for domination as they fell deeper and deeper into one another. A pure, untamed passion released with each  new  raw caress.

There was no fear to explore this time around, his inhibitions silenced by the night before. Acting solely on instinct and impulse, Ben found himself lost in the soft, inviting mounds of her breasts. Mouth eager to capture her supple nipples between his lips again. Rey arched as his hot, wet tongue ran a tight, rapturous circle around her breast. Sucking and pulling the taut skin deep within his mouth. The rapid, swiping licks of his tongue upon each nipple in turn causing a gush of wetness to flood from her core. The throb of desire and need mounting within her, an itch she knew only had one solution. Ben’s wandering hands already finding a temporary reprieve for her as his fingers slid across the insistent nub at the apex of her thighs.

“God’s” she whimpered as he ran his fingers over her folds, in steady, gentle strokes. Each caress and  circle  of his index  finger  causing her breath to  falter and choke . A gasp wracking her chest as he slowly slipped lower and lower until she felt him  inside,  strok ing  the very core of her. 

Ben watched with hooded eyes  as they shared a heated look ,  expression  dark and devilish as he crooked his finger far inside her . Brushing against the bundle of nerves he found there, before  dragging it back out again. Repeating the action again and again as Rey’s  crimsom flush spread from her face to  color  her throat and chest. Learning with each new stroke which motions and speeds caused the biggest reaction. Another finger adding to the breathy gasps she made, as everything sped up between them.

Rey squeezed her eyes shut as that same feeling of an impending explosion and ecstasy built within her. Ben’s mouth once more finding its way back to her chest, sending her closer and closer to the edge.

She couldn’t take it.

“Ben” she gasped “Ben stop”.

Though his face revealed an obvious disappointment, jaw set in a petulant pout, Ben did as he was asked. Removing his hand from between her thighs  and  rest ing  his chin again st her  collarbone , he waited patiently for her to continue.  Offering no resistance to her request  but u nsure as to what he had done to cause her to  halt  his ministrations. 

“Ben” Rey said softly between rapid breathes “I  need more than your hands"

Ben blinked rapidly in surprise, not quite expecting that response.

“I want you to...” she paused, cheeks pinking even after all they had shared  in that same bed  a few hours before .

 “I want to ....  do what we did last night.”

Ben’s breath caught in his throat.  Dumbfounded by the prospect of being inside her again so soon.

“Do you....you want to do that too?” Rey asked shyly, her unabashed forwardness suddenly leaving her. Ben’s eyes widened as he nodded in a slight daze.

“Of....of course” he stuttered, completely thrown off-balance.  He nodded with  enthusiasm  as the shock passed.

“Okay” Rey smiled, seeming to relax a t his eagerness to consummate the relationship again.

Without any further preamble or warning, Rey reached down  in the small space between  them to grasp Ben’s touch starved manhood. Ben choked audibly, hips thrusting automatically forward into her hands as she curved her fingers round his cock. Pumping slowly up and down as she had seen him do a few days before, the vision of him in that cool, cramped cave seeming an age ago now. Ben’s face tightened as her hand worked him closer and closer, arms shaking already as he fought the urge to cum right there and then.

“Rey, I can’t hold on much  longer if you keep this up ” he whimpered, resting his head against her  shoulder  with a long, heaving sigh.  Even with her inexperience , her hands proved to  be  more than adequate to  accelerate  his imminent  orgasm. The girl was a quick learner. 

That .... and she could read him like a book, the buzz of her light tinged presence within his mind a pleasant warmth  through his body . The unexpected intrusion  a  welcome  invasion  on this rare occasion. 

Pressing back against her mind with his own ,  it did not take him long to see what she wanted. 

The blush on her face darkening prettily as she felt him brush against a desire she couldn’t muster the courage to put into  words.

Staring down at her, Ben kept his gaze steady  as he reached down to gently remove her hand from his  throbbing member.  Pining her hand above her head  as he  leaned down  to kiss her soft and slow, his other hand positioning  himself at the edge of her entrance. The tip of him poised at the wet, welcoming  bullseye  of her cunt.  Pushing forward slowly he began to  edge himself passed her natural resistance.  The delicious heat of her slipping against him, enveloping  the head of his cock tightly. 

Ben’s groan was blissful and  animalistic in  Rey’s  ear, but she was unable to enjoy the  deliciously sordid  sound .  The muscles of her  centre screaming at her to stop, the burn of Ben’s  once welcome thrust into her  a pain she couldn’t comprehend . Even with the glacial  pace  at which  he was entering her , it  was too great for her to endure. 

The tender muscle s  and tissue s  within  still too inflamed from the  night before to take  Ben’s size  and girth . Her body  not  recovered from his previous intrusion  to  allow this to continue.

Ben’s initial elation quickly deflated as he watched  Rey’s  beautiful face twist in pain as he entered her, each  millimeter  he pushed causing her more and more anguish. Tears pricking at her eyes and  face turning deadly white the further he  moved .

“ Rey..are  you okay?” he exclaimed,  horrified when he noticed the red, raw marks imbedded in her palms from the squeeze of her nails into the flesh.

Rey tried to nod, her eyes screwed shut and  body tense.

Her head did not move  again , a  pained whimper drawn from her lips as her agony continued. 

It was all too much.

“Rey do you need me to stop?”  Ben  gasped, holding his hips as still as he could .  Conscious  any  sudden jerk would hurt her more.

“Rey?" he whispered shamefully, already leaning back to coax himself out of her as gently as possible. 

“Please” was all Rey could gasp out, the twisted grimace  staying  on her face even as the burn slowly  abated. 

Ben continued to pull out,  inching back until Rey sighed in relief,  his face aflame with embarrassment and guilt for hurting her. Rolling onto his side, his face fell further as he felt her discomfort through the Force. Sympathy increasing tenfold as he felt every ache and stretch.

“I’m so sorry” he whispered sheepishly, brushing the sweat dampened tendrils of hair from her brow as he kissed her forehead. Her breath and tense expression  slowly  relaxing to a reasonable state as the pain within her faded. Sitting up in the bunk, Ben sighed loudly as he rested his chin on his knuckles. Watching her return to normality with a sustained pang of guilt. 

Finally opening her eyes and finding his face in the slight gloom, Rey’s expression softened further as she took in his disgraced and frustrated frown. Angry with himself that he had not noticed her agony earlier.

“Hey...” she murmured gently as she sat up and placed her hand upon his cheek. Running her thumb over the soft line of his scar before turning his jaw to face her.

“Don’t look so gloomy Solo, I’m fine”.

Ben shrugged in reply, his mouth tight and twitching as he chewed over his bumbling failure.

“Ben...” Rey said more firmly, holding his gaze with a steadfast honesty “I am fine. You don’t need to punish yourself over this”

Those soft brown eyes looked back at her  sadly,  chewing on his lip as he mulled over her words. 

“But I hurt you”  he  whispered  unhappily  after a long, tense moment .  Rey hummed thoughtfully  in response , her eyes dropping for a second as she ran her fingers over his much  larger  knuckles.

“Yeah well, that was my own fault too. I was little overeager” she chuckled sardonically after a moment or two. Ben’s dejected pout twitched into a fleeting smile as she continued to run her fingers over his hand.

“I should have been more careful” his deep voice rumbled, catching her hand in his as he turned his palm over  to touch her .  Holding her hand more delicately than was really necessary.

“It was a momentary mistake and I am fine , no lasting  damage   We just need to take things a bit slower next time” Rey replied warmly, a cheeky glint glowing in her eyes. Ben searched her gaze for any sign of falsehood but found nothing to doubt her words, his unhappy frown drifting away as he sighed deeply. A small smile grew upon his face instead.

 Pulling Rey’s  wrist  up to his lips, he kissed it tenderly.

“Okay” was all he said in reply, looking at her with such affection, Rey was certain her heart skipped a beat.  His small smile so endearing she was filled contentment and a swoop of longing for him in the pit of her stomach.

Beaming back at him, she inched forward and kissed him soundly. Giggling as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her unceremoniously upon his lap.

“It’s such a shame really” Rey sighed coyly  against his mouth , feeling the hard, hot length of him still throbbing beneath her.

“I was very much enjoying  myself  before that unfortunate misstep”.

Ben’s dark eyes flashed with amusement and something else altogether more corrupted as he digested her words.

“Me too” he hummed happily, thumb tracing the delicate column of her spine as she shivered in reply.  Kissing him again chastely, she reluctantly pulled herself back before things got to heated. The itch between her thighs returning with a vengeance.

“I still feel ….. frustrated ” Rey huffed unhappily, her cheeks reddening as Ben’s eyes widened at her  admission.  That unspoken and incessant  urge driving her crazy..

Ben already knew the answer to this quagmire, his ill-gotten knowledge from adolescent and at time degenerate  holofilms  once more put to good use.

“You know there is something else I could try that  might  help that...” Ben trailed off, already feeling the  colour  rise up his neck, heat blooming all over his body. Rey looked back him curiously, interest immediately piqued.

“Show me” she replied bluntly, unable to stop herself smirking as Ben’s face and ears went scarlet.

A few minutes later, she  realized  why .

Finding herself pressed upon her back, her skin prickled with anticipation as Ben’s tongue traced a torturous path down her body. Sliding over her nipples and down her abdomen, licking and kissing every millimeter he could find. His big, able hands forcing her knees further apart as his mouth traveled lazily to her hip. Rey’s breath already becoming uneven as his cheek came to rest against the soft, supple skin of inner thigh, dark, enigmatic eyes watching her intently as he paused. Cataloging every rise and fall of her chest  in exhilaration, every flash of need she tried to hide.

 Their eyes locked  together in a trance  as the Force rippled around them, the charged atmosphere feeding of Rey’s increasing lack of control and excitement. Pupils so large her eyes were dark with desire, urging him on , begging him to touch her more . 

Curious as to what  new thrills and pleasures  she would find next.

His mouth broke into a swaggering smirk as his hands slid up her thighs, thumbs resting at the crease of her joint as he finally moved. Head dipping down and causing Rey to curse and squirm as his mouth made sublime contact.

Bens plush lips upon her mound ca us ing an erotic torment. Kissing her lips and parting them as his jaw opened slowly. Tongue slipping  out, tentative  and unsure ,  to lick a gentle swipe up her folds.

Rey shuddered and groaned as another round of cautious strokes lit up her senses, his angle changing with each  new  attempt. Honing in on the places that made her moan and fever most, reading her thoughts and feelings like an open book. His eager tongue pressing upon her troublesome nub with growing confidence.  The wetness sliding from her  centre  showing him all he needed to know.

Rey never knew something could feel so good. His mouth hot and  solid  upon her most intimate place, causing her to shake and thirst for  this ravishment  to never end. Edging her closer and closer once more to that burst of rapturous euphoria.

Feeling braver and lost to her own pleasure,  Rey  reached down and tangled her fingers in his hair. Gripping his curls hard to tilt his head just right, focusing his  increasingly swift  tongue to the spot that made her whole being white out.

Ben sped up his rhythm further, his body flood ed  with the  sensation  of  Rey’s  cresting wave of release.  Leading her higher and higher until she fell off the precipice. A low and indecent cry rumbling from her chest as she clamped her thighs together on his head, crushing him for a moment as her fingers dug into his scalp. Grip tightening as the whole world exploded within.

Letting go all at once as her body went limp. Eyes squeezing shut.

Ben’s own release almost following as he rode the aftershocks they shared across the bond.

Reaching down, he only had to pump himself jerkily a few times before he too had been sated.

The warm gush of cum painting the foot of the bed as he grunted in relief.

The room vibrating around him as their muscles expanded and contracted in the wake of their  release.

Ben was breathless.

Collapsing against her hip, he felt drained.

“Where the hell did you learn that?” Rey wheezed after a  moment;  her eyes still closed.

“A  holofilm ....a really, really bad  holofilm ” Ben supplied sheepishly, finally finding the energy to move up the bed again. Using the fabric of his ruined  tshirt  from the night before, to wipe the last of his spend from himself.

Cracking one eye open, Rey smiled at him. Her cheeks a pleasant pink as her heart rate slowed to a normal pace.

“Can’t be all that bad” she laughed saucily, giving him a pointed look. Ben smiled at her in reply.

“No, I guess not”.

Rolling over, Rey smiled at him broadly now.

Leaning down she tasted herself on his lips as she pressed her mouth to his. Not as entirely put off by this fact as she first thought. It was oddly satisfying.

Resting herself on her arms, she traced small circles on Ben’s chest. Smiling brightly as he smirked at her contentedly, quietly proud his gamble had paid off.

“You can definitely try that one again sometime soon” Rey teased after a moment, loving how Ben’s cheeks blushed at her words.

“I’ll keep that in mind” he deadpanned, wrapping his arm around her midriff to pull her close to his chest. Taking the hint, Rey laid her head against his breast. Yawning visibly as she was enveloped by his calming warmth.

Both of them drifting off to a content sleep without another word or retort as the early dawn’s activities took their toll.

* * *

_ Across the ice she could see him, bloodied and broken. _

_ Ben. _

_ Alive, but not for long. _

_ The snow had stopped falling hours ago but the temperature was so low and frigid she couldn’t feel the difference anyway. Her face and hands numb as she kneeled against the hard, uncomfortable ground. _

_ Bolla had tried to intimidate her, to break her spirit. But she would never yield to a bully like him even with the threat of pain and death not too far away. _

_ However, her surly attitude was soon her undoing. The thud of the axe a death knell in the growing silence. _

_ Before she had a chance to breath, to beg mercy, to think of an escape she had been held over her inevitable watery grave. _

_ All fight and resolve disappearing into the ether. _

_ The fall into the deathly cold water seemed to last an age, time slowing into minute measurements of time as she watched Ben’s face twist with fear and anguish. Screaming her name. Begging for Bolla for clemency. _

_ Receiving none. _

_ The icy river made her gasp as she broke to the surface, the shock taking all the air from her lungs in one single stroke. It would be the last lungful of oxygen she would every expire. The searing pain of the cold making her limps seize almost instantly.  _

_ She sunk under. _

_ Struggling to the surface again she saw Ben screaming, thrashing uncontrollably as he fought to get to her. _

_ She sunk again.  _

_ This time the energy to fight her way to the light seemed almost impossible. _

_ Rising once more, the lack oxygen to her struggling brain was telling. Her arms and legs useless now as she tried to stay afloat. The cold too great for her overcome. _

_ Her consciousness fading. _

_ When she sunk for the third time, her body plummeted in the river like a stone.  _

_ Caught in the current, the depth-less darkness took her away.  _

* * *

Jolting up in the bed, Rey gasped long and hard.

Her chest painfully tight as she took in great gulping breaths of air into her desperate lungs.

The cold not quite leaving her body, the memory of its bite seeping into her bones.

Rey let out whimper as she tried to get the images out of her head.

Ben watched her  warily, instantly  awake having felt Rey’s sudden movement against him. His eyes knowing as he looked up at her dejectedly.

His fears renewed.

Looking down at Ben, Rey’s face was pensive. Knowing there was no way she could lie to him about what she’d seen.

“Ben” she said gruffly, not wanting to show just how scared she was.

“I need you to teach me how to swim.”

Ben nodded in agreement, adding no comment even with his head filling with hundreds of unanswered questions.

Lying back down, Rey turned away from him. Lost in her own unsettling thoughts and new found fears for the future.

A dream was not always just a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben spend more time together. Their bond grows. Someone comes to visit.


End file.
